JPS5840286A - Automatic work device used for continuous carrying line - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic working device used in a continuous conveyance line,
In detail, for example, in a continuous conveyance line where vehicles with different specifications are conveyed in an irregular order, such as a vehicle assembly line, each vehicle is automatically moved according to its specifications using an industrial robot. It relates to a device that can be assembled or otherwise assembled.

In general, in order to automate the assembly work on this type of continuous conveyance line that mixes many types of vehicles, such as a vehicle assembly line, it is necessary to Managing the assembly work has been extremely difficult because it is necessary to synchronously move the assembly tools and items loaded onto the vehicle according to the specifications of the vehicle while assembling these and the vehicle. In addition, in order to prevent work from becoming impossible immediately due to misalignment of assembly tools, etc., or to prevent tools from damaging the car body paint, move the necessary tools, etc. in synchronization with the vehicle and place them in the designated positions on the vehicle. It is necessary to position it accurately so that the assembly work can be carried out.

By the way, in recent years, the performance of industrial robots used in welding lines and painting lines has improved significantly due to technological advances, and it has become possible to perform designated tasks accurately and with high precision. It has become possible to accurately position tools, etc. at K.

Therefore, in view of this, the present invention uses the industrial robot with improved performance in a continuous conveyance line such as a vehicle assembly line that mixes many types of vehicles, so that it can move synchronously with vehicles moving at a predetermined speed. As mentioned above, without damaging the vehicle body paint, which has become impossible to work on, and in response to differences in the specifications of each vehicle and irregularities in the order of transportation, the specified work can be carried out accurately and automatically on each vehicle. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic working device for use in a continuous conveyance line that can perform the following operations.

That is, the present invention provides a continuous conveyance line for a mixture of multiple vehicle types, in which vehicles with different specifications are conveyed in an irregular order, a central information processing unit in which the conveyance order of the vehicles and work information for each vehicle are stored; It consists of an industrial robot placed at an appropriate position on the transport line, the robot reads and stores work information for a predetermined number of sounds from the central information processing unit in accordance with the transport order of the vehicles, and the robot reads and stores work information for a predetermined number of sounds from the central information processing unit, and It starts operating when it detects that the arm has been transported to a predetermined position, extracts the transport speed of the transport line, compares and calculates the transport speed with work information, and moves the arm to the vehicle based on the calculation result. After approaching the vehicle, the arm is moved for a predetermined distance in synchronization with the vehicle, and during that time, work is performed based on the work information.0 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a basic automatic working device A when the present invention is applied to a vehicle assembly line, in which 1 shows three different types of vehicles 2 al 2 bl 20 in an irregular order towards the left in the figure. 5 is a central information processing unit, and the central information processing unit 5 is stored in advance with the transport order of the vehicles 2a to 2C and the respective vehicles 2a. Each of the vehicles 2a to 2 is scheduled to be completed while the vehicle 2C moves through a predetermined section on the conveyance line 1.
Assembly work information for each C is stored. Further, 4 is an industrial robot placed at a suitable position on the transport line 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the industrial robot 4 includes a work information storage section 5, a conveyance speed storage section 6, a detection means 7, an input section 8, a calculation section 9, and a robot drive section 10. Become. The work information storage unit 5 stores a predetermined number of vehicles (for example, 3 vehicles) to be transported according to the vehicle transport order of the central information processing device S.
The work information for the vehicles 2a to 2C (not shown) is sequentially read out from the central information processing unit 5 and stored therein.
The conveyance speed of the conveyance line 1 taken out is stored. The detection means 7 is composed of a sensor such as a phototube placed at a predetermined position in front of the robot 4 on the transport line 1, and detects whether any vehicle 2a, 2b or 2C has been transported to the predetermined position. It is something to detect.

Furthermore, the input section 8 is for inputting and storing the detection signal of the detection means 7. In addition, the calculation section 9 includes a work position calculation section 11. which receives the detection signal from the input section 8, the work information signal from the work information storage section 50, and the transport speed signal from the transport speed storage section 6, respectively. It consists of a synchronous operation calculation section 12 and a work timing calculation section 16. The work position calculation section 11 calculates the first position of the work information storage section 5 for the vehicle detected by the detection means 7 as having been transported to a predetermined position.
The robot 4 confirms that the assembly work will be carried out using the work information signal stored in the second memory, and at the same time that the vehicle is detected by the detection means 7, the robot 4 extends the contracted arm 4a and starts moving. It outputs a start signal. Further, the synchronous operation calculation unit 12 compares and calculates the first work information signal in the work information storage unit 5 and the transport speed signal in the transport speed storage unit 6 to move the arm 4a of the robot 4 to the detected position. The vehicle is moved synchronously with the vehicle, and then the vehicle is moved along the vehicle during a predetermined section until the predetermined assembly work based on the first work information signal in the work information storage section 5 is completed. It outputs a synchronization signal to cause synchronous movement. Furthermore, while the arm 4a of the robot 4 is extended and the detected vehicle KG is moving synchronously, the work timing calculation unit 15 calculates the timing based on the first work information signal in the work information storage unit 5. This outputs an assembly signal to cause the assembly work to be performed. Further, the robot drive section 10 includes the above-mentioned calculation section 9.
It receives an operation start signal, a synchronization signal, and an assembly signal, and drives and controls the arm 4a of the robot 4 based on these signals. Therefore, the industrial robot 4 reads work information for a predetermined number of vehicles from the central information processing unit 6 in accordance with the conveyance order of the vehicles and stores it in the work information storage section 5, so that any vehicle 2a, 2b or 2C can move along the conveyance line 1. The detection means 7 detects that the robot 4 has been transported to a predetermined position, and upon detection, the robot 4 starts operating (moving the arm 4a), and the transport speed of the transport line 1 is measured by a transport speed measuring device (not shown). ), the transport speed and the first work information stored above are compared and calculated in the calculation unit 9, and the arm 4a is brought closer to the vehicle by the robot drive unit 10 based on the calculation result, and then, The arm 4
The apparatus is configured to assemble the vehicle based on the first stored work information while moving the vehicle over a predetermined distance in synchronization with the vehicle.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained. When the vehicles on the conveyance line 1 are conveyed in the order of vehicle conveyance of the central information processing unit 5, for example, in the order of 2a, 2b, and 2C, the predetermined position of the vehicle 2a is When the assembly work is completed, the work information for the vehicle 2b will be moved up to the first position and stored in the work information storage unit 5 of the robot 40, and
The conveyance speed storage unit 6 stores the conveyance speed of the conveyance line 1 taken out by a conveyance speed measuring device (not shown). Then, when the vehicle 2b is conveyed to a predetermined position at the conveyance speed of the conveyance line 1, the detection means 7 detects that the vehicle 2b
This detection signal is input to the calculation unit 9 via the input unit 8, and the work position calculation unit 11 outputs an operation start signal, and the synchronous operation calculation unit 12 outputs the first work information signal. The synchronization signal based on the calculation result of and the transport speed signal is
Further, the work timing calculating section 15 outputs assembly signals based on the work information for the vehicle 2b to the robot driving section 10, respectively. As a result, the contracted arm 4a of the robot 4 is driven and controlled by the robot drive unit 10, starts to extend at the same time as the vehicle 2b is transported to a predetermined position, approaches the vehicle 2b, and then extends only for a predetermined section. While moving synchronously with the vehicle 2b, assembly work is performed on the vehicle 2b based on work information. As a result, the predetermined assembly work for the vehicle 2b is automatically performed by the robot 4. Then, each time a subsequent vehicle 20 etc. is transported to a predetermined position, the arm 4a of the robot 4 repeats the same operation as described above, thereby performing predetermined assembly work for each vehicle according to its specifications. It turns out. At this time, due to the high degree of accuracy possessed by the robot 4, automatic assembly work will not be impossible and the vehicle body paint will not be damaged by the arm 4a.

Now, specifically, FIG. 3 shows an example in which the automatic work device configured as described above is used to automatically perform air blowing work after air is removed from the brake system.

In other words, in FIG. 3, a hanger conveyor line 1' on which vehicles 2a+ of different specifications are suspended is used as a conveyance line, and a stationary robot 4' is used as an industrial robot. The arm 4/a protruding from the main body of the robot 4' is connected to the vehicle 2a,
The left and right front and rear wheels 14a, 14b, . , 2a+, . . . so that the assembly work can be carried out while moving in synchronization with the vehicles 2a+, . In this example, when the industrial robot 4' fails with the arm 4/a extended, the entire robot 4' is moved backward to prevent the arm 4'a from stopping within the conveyor line 1'. It has a retracting means (not shown) such as a hydraulic cylinder to prevent an accident from spreading to the conveyor line 1' and to allow operator intervention to prevent a decrease in efficiency of assembly work.

In addition, FIG. 4 shows a specific example in which the carrying of a spare tire into the trunk room can be automated, and a spare tire parts placement station 15 is provided on the side of the industrial robot 4'', and the part is placed in the trunk room. Three types of spare tires 16a are placed at the loading station 15.

. . , 16b, .
When the vehicle 2b, for example, which has been transported to a predetermined position above, is detected by the detection means 7, the arm 411a is temporarily moved to the parts mounting station 15 based on the assembly signal from the work timing calculation unit 15, and the vehicle 2b is The industrial robot 4'' is operated and controlled so as to have the robot take a pre-designated spare tire, for example 16b, move it to a pre-opened trunk room of the vehicle 2b, and place the spare tire 16b on the vehicle 2b. This is what I did.

In addition, in the above explanation, as specific examples, a vehicle that is capable of carrying out air project work (concrete example 1) and a vehicle that is capable of carrying in a spare tire (concrete example 2) are given. The present invention is not limited to these, but ``For example, the operation of an industrial robot may be similar to that in Example 1 above, and the arm may be moved directly from its standby position to the working section of the vehicle to perform work. Alternatively, as in Example 2 above, the arm may be moved from its standby position to the parts placement stage to pick up the parts, and then moved to the work area of the vehicle to place the parts on the vehicle. You may also include it. Furthermore, a tool placement station is provided instead of the component placement station as in Example 2,
A plurality of types of tools are placed on the station, and when the vehicle is being transported to a predetermined position on the conveyance line, the arm is moved from its standby position to the tool placement station,
After the tools necessary for the assembly work of the vehicle are taken, the tools may be moved to a work area of the vehicle and the work may be performed.

Further, in the above description, the case where the present invention is applied to a vehicle assembly line has been described, but the present invention can be applied to various continuous conveyance lines such as a welding line or a painting line that mixes many vehicle types.

As explained above, according to the present invention, industrial robots can automatically and accurately perform work on a continuous conveyance line that mixes many types of vehicles, thereby automating various work such as vehicle assembly and saving labor. This is something that can make a significant contribution to the development of society.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an overall schematic plan view showing an example of application to a vehicle assembly line, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an industrial robot, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing specific example 1. The front view and FIG. 4 are schematic plan views showing specific example 2. 1.. Continuous conveyance line, 2a-2C.. Vehicles, 3.. Central information processing unit, 4. 4', 4"...Industrial robot, 4a, 41a, 4/la...Arm, 15...Parts placement station.

Claims (8)

[Claims] (1) A continuous conveyance line for a mixture of multiple vehicle types on which vehicles with different specifications are conveyed in an irregular order, a central information processing unit that stores the conveyance order of the vehicles and work information for each vehicle, and the conveyance line. The robot reads and stores work information for a predetermined number of vehicles from the central information processing unit in accordance with the transport order of the vehicles, and when the vehicles are at a predetermined position on the transport line. It detects that it has been transported, starts its operation, takes out the transport speed of the transport line, calculates a comparison between the transport speed and work information, and moves the arm closer to the vehicle based on the calculation result. . An automatic work device for use in a continuous conveyance line, characterized in that the arm is moved over a predetermined section in synchronization with the vehicle, while performing work based on the work information. (2) The automatic working device for use in a continuous conveyance line according to claim i11, wherein the continuous conveyance line is a vehicle assembly line. (3) The automatic working device for use in a continuous conveyance line according to claim 0) or (2), wherein the continuous conveyance line is a hanger conveyor line. (4) The robot is of a stationary type, and the arm protruding from the main body rotates while the tip of the arm moves parallel to the conveyance line.
An automatic working device used in the continuous conveyance line described in item 2) or item (3). (5) The robot has a means for retracting the entire robot so that the arm does not stop in the transfer line in the event of a failure. Automatic work equipment used in the continuous conveyance line described in ). (6) The robot can directly work on the vehicle from the standby position.”
Claim No.
Paragraph 1), Paragraph (2), Paragraph (3), Paragraph (4) or Paragraph (
Automatic work device used in the continuous conveyance line described in 5). (7) The robot moves from a standby position to a parts placement station, picks up the parts, moves to a working section of the vehicle, and operates to place the parts on the vehicle. Section 2), Section (3). An automatic working device used in the continuous conveyance line described in item (4) or item (5). (8) The robot moves from a standby position to a tool placement station to pick up a tool, and then moves to a working section of a vehicle to work.
An automatic working device used in the continuous conveyance line described in item (2), item (3), item (4), or item (5).