EP0280857B1 - Sorting device - Google Patents

Sorting device Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0280857B1
EP0280857B1 EP88100738A EP88100738A EP0280857B1 EP 0280857 B1 EP0280857 B1 EP 0280857B1 EP 88100738 A EP88100738 A EP 88100738A EP 88100738 A EP88100738 A EP 88100738A EP 0280857 B1 EP0280857 B1 EP 0280857B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sorting device
construction parts
sensor
rail
screw
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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EP88100738A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0280857A2 (en
EP0280857A3 (en
Inventor
Michael Ing. Habele (Fh)
Jakob Zeyda
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Robert Bosch GmbH
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Robert Bosch GmbH
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Publication of EP0280857A3 publication Critical patent/EP0280857A3/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/04—Sorting according to size
    • B07C5/08—Sorting according to size measured electrically or electronically
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/04—Sorting according to size
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/04—Sorting according to size
    • B07C5/06—Sorting according to size measured mechanically
    • B07C5/065—Sorting according to size measured mechanically with multiple measuring appliances adjusted according to different standards, for example length or thickness, which detect the shape of an object so that if it conforms to the standard set by the measuring appliance, it is removed from the conveyor, e.g. by means of a number of differently calibrated openings
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S209/00—Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
    • Y10S209/929—Fastener sorter

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a sorting device according to the type of the main claim.
  • a sorting device according to US Pat. No. 3,650,397 is already known, in which the screws to be sorted are in a transparent tube on an optical sensor, e.g. B. be guided past photodiodes. With the aid of a mirror, a shadow of the screw to be assessed is projected onto the sensor and this image is compared with the nominal dimensions. If the screw has a defect on its illustrated contour, it is rejected on a switch.
  • This sorting device has the disadvantage that only the projection shadow can be checked in a single plane for each measurement. Errors on the non-projected circumference, on the surface or inside (slot shape) cannot be detected. In addition, the measuring accuracy depends on the conveying speed at the measuring point and on the stable position of the screw in the pipe.
  • the sorting device according to the invention with the characterizing features of the main claim has the advantage that the complete shape of the screws, both their shape and their dimensions, their surface quality and their internal shapes (slots, cracks) can be determined with great accuracy. Furthermore, the measurement result is independent of the conveyor speed of the conveyor. The measurement is not - as with optical measuring methods - affected by dirt. Temperature influences are also irrelevant. In addition, the sorting device is much cheaper than optical systems.
  • the conveyor can consist, for example, of a simple rail with a liner conveyor. The reliability of the sorting device is considerably improved by the combination of mechanical and electrical measuring points.
  • Figure 1 shows a plan view of the entire sorting device.
  • Figure 2 shows a cross section through the template 13 along the line II-II in Figure 1.
  • Figure 3 shows a cross section through the shaft sensors 21 and 22.
  • Figure 4 shows a measurement diagram of the shaft sensor.
  • FIG. 5 shows a cross section through the head sensor 25.
  • a screw spindle is shown in FIG.
  • Figure 7 shows the control loop of the sorting device.
  • the sorting device is divided into two main parts, a conveyor pot 1 and a linear section 2 with the devices for screw detection and rejection.
  • a separating device 3 and one or more screw spindles or a packaging machine (not shown) can be connected to the linear section 2.
  • the well-known conveyor pot 1 takes up the screws, nails, head bolts or the like as bulk material and brings them in a row hanging from a rail 4.
  • the rail 4 has a slot 5 through which the shafts of the screws, but not the heads, can pass.
  • the rail 4 continues seamlessly in the rail 6 belonging to the linear path 2 with a slot 7 corresponding to the slot 5.
  • the rail 6 is fixedly connected to a linear conveyor 8, known per se, which, by means of vibration, exerts a linear conveying movement that is as constant as possible on the screws 9.
  • the slot 7 widens to a hole 10 which is slightly smaller than the head diameter of the screw 9 to be tested and fall through the screwing with too small a head diameter into a collecting container 11 for unusable screws.
  • the screw 9 is further conveyed onto an interchangeable slide 12 and comes to a template 13.
  • the screw geometries conveyed are incorporated into the template 13 in relation to head diameter A, shaft diameter B, head height C and shaft length D ( Figure 2).
  • the template 13 consists of two halves 14 and 15 so that they can be attached to the rail 6, e.g. by screws, not shown, which reach through the template halves 14 and 15 and are screwed into the narrow sides of the rail 6. If one of the required dimensions is exceeded, the screw material jams in the template 13.
  • the interchangeable slide 12 consists of two short rail sections 16 and 17, which are guided on a rod 18 and can be inserted alternately into a gap in the rail 6. Below the interchangeable slide 12 there is a collecting container 19, into which screws of the dimensionally unstable screws removed from the interchangeable slide from the linear path 2 are due to the conveying effect also exerted on the rail sections 16 and 17 of the linear conveyor 8 fall into it.
  • the shuttle valve 12 receives its release signal from a control device 50, which will be described later.
  • a traffic jam sensor 20 is arranged above the rail 6 and can detect whether there are screws under it or not.
  • the traffic jam sensor 20 can operate according to mechanical, inductive, capacitive, piezoelectric, ultrasound or the eddy current principle or according to other principles and emits its signal to the electrical or pneumatic control device 50 (FIG. 7).
  • the shaft sensor 21 Downstream of the accumulation sensor 20 is the shaft sensor 21, 22, which is inserted into recesses in the lateral flanks of the rail 6 (FIG. 3).
  • the shaft sensor consists of two parts 21, 22, in each of which a coil 23, 24 is arranged.
  • the coils preferably work according to the eddy current principle, the mode of operation of which is described in more detail in our application P 37 06 574.2 (filed on the same day) and with which surface defects can also be easily recognized.
  • plates can also be contained in the shaft sensor and the measurement can be carried out capacitively.
  • the following dimensions can be monitored with the aid of the shaft sensor 21, 22: shaft diameter, shaft length, thread defects, material defects such as cracks or cavities, and surface defects, for example poor surface treatment.
  • a measurement signal results, which is shown in FIG. 4.
  • the time t is plotted on the right, the height of the measurement signal upwards.
  • the first three screws are within the tolerance range T and are OK.
  • the next four screws are faulty and generate a measurement signal that is too low. Since errors can be compensated for with this measuring method, e.g. shaft diameter too small / thread missing or shaft too long / blowholes
  • Some criteria were previously checked mechanically through the hole 10 and the template 13 and defective screws were sorted out.
  • the test criteria to be monitored by the shaft sensor 21, 22 are therefore reduced to: shaft diameter too small, shaft length too short, thread, material and surface defects.
  • the reliability of the sorting device can be increased even further by arranging several pairs of coils along the screw shaft.
  • the shaft sensor 21, 22 registers both a counting pulse Z (FIG. 4) with a running nunmer, which is triggered each time a screw is passed, and the height of the shaft signal. If the measurement signal voltage lies outside the permissible tolerance range T, an error signal is assigned to the counting pulse of this screw and the screw is further conveyed to the separating block 30.
  • a head sensor 25 arranged there also registers counting pulses with a serial number. If there appears a screw with a number to which an error signal is assigned, it is assigned to the feed slide 38 for defective screws.
  • the signals are expediently processed by a controller developed for this purpose.
  • the head sensor 25 is attached at a defined constant distance K above the rail 6 or the receiving fork 27 (FIG. 5).
  • the coil 26 arranged in the head sensor 25 also works according to the eddy current principle according to our application P 37 06 574.2.
  • the head sensor 25 detects the following errors: head height too low (head height too high is checked by template 13), head diameter too large (head diameter too small is also checked by template 13), incorrect slot design or force application surfaces (e.g. slot instead of Torx, not existing slot) and surface defect and also registers the counting pulse described above.
  • Faulty screws produce - similar to the shaft sensor (FIG. 4) - a measuring signal that is too large or too small. This immediately causes the feed slide 38 for faulty screws to be actuated.
  • the rail 6 ends just before the head sensor 25 and continues seamlessly in the receiving cable 27 of the cross slide 28, which is guided in a guide link 29 of the separating block 30.
  • the guide link 29 is arranged obliquely to the sliding direction of the separating slide 31, which conveys the tested screws at right angles to the rail 6 to the feed hole 32.
  • the displacement of the separating slide 31 is accomplished by a work unit, not shown, which is connected to the push rod 33.
  • the push rod is in turn firmly connected to the separating slide 31.
  • the cross slide 28 withdraws from the screw due to the guide link 29 (to the right in FIG. 1) and releases the screw head, so that the screw can fall freely through the hole 32 into one of the metering slides 34 to 38 shown .
  • a total of twelve metering slides can be attached to plate 44.
  • the metering slides have housings 39 in which pistons 40 are guided.
  • the piston rods 41 of the pistons 40 carry head pieces 42 with bores 43.
  • inlet hoses not shown in FIG. 1, are connected, through which the individual screws are conveyed either for packaging or via the inlet hoses 61 to screw spindles 60 shown in FIG.
  • sensors 63 are e.g. in the jaws 62 of the screw spindles 60 Vortex sensors are used, which either output the signal "screw in the pliers" or “no screw in the pliers” to the separating device 3.
  • the control device 50 (FIG. 7) has the signal from the sensor 20 as the input variable and the acknowledgment of the feedback from the feed pot 1 about its operating state (on-off).
  • the sensor signal passes through a signal processor 51 and a timing control circuit 51 with two Exits. One of the outputs either switches the feed pot on or off, the other actuates the change-over slide 12 in such a way that the rail section 16 or 17 currently in the linear section 2 is disengaged and the other rail section 17 or 16 is inserted into the gap in the linear section 2.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
  • Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)

Description

Stand der TechnikState of the art

Die Erfindung geht aus von einer Sortiereinrichtung nach der Gattung des Hauptanspruchs. Es ist bereits eine Sortiereinrichtung gemäß der US 3 650 397 bekannt, bei der die zu sortierenden Schrauben in einem durchsichtigen Rohr an einem optischen Sensor, z. B. an Fotodioden vorbeigeführt werden Dabei wird mit Hilfe eines Spiegels ein Schatten der zu beurteilenden Schraube auf den Sensor projiziert und dieses Bild mit den Sollmaßen verglichen. Wenn die Schraube an ihrer abgebildeten Kontur einen Fehler aufweist, wird sie an einer Weiche ausgesondert. Diese Sortiereinrichtung hat den Nachteil, daß bei jeder Messung nur der Projektionsschatten in einer einzigen Ebene überprüft werden kann. Fehler am nicht projizierten Umfang, an der Oberfläche oder im Inneren (Schlitzform) können nicht erkannt werden. Außerdem ist die Meßgenauigkeit von der Fördergeschwindigkeit am Meßpunkt und von der stabilen Lage der Schraube in dem Rohr abhängig.The invention relates to a sorting device according to the type of the main claim. A sorting device according to US Pat. No. 3,650,397 is already known, in which the screws to be sorted are in a transparent tube on an optical sensor, e.g. B. be guided past photodiodes. With the aid of a mirror, a shadow of the screw to be assessed is projected onto the sensor and this image is compared with the nominal dimensions. If the screw has a defect on its illustrated contour, it is rejected on a switch. This sorting device has the disadvantage that only the projection shadow can be checked in a single plane for each measurement. Errors on the non-projected circumference, on the surface or inside (slot shape) cannot be detected. In addition, the measuring accuracy depends on the conveying speed at the measuring point and on the stable position of the screw in the pipe.

Vorteile der ErfindungAdvantages of the invention

Die erfindungsgemäße Sortiereinrichtung mit den kennzeichnenden Merkmalen des Hauptanspruchs hat demgegenüber den Vorteil, daß die vollständige Gestalt der Schrauben, sowohl deren Form als auch deren Abmessungen, deren Oberflächenbeschaffenheit sowie deren innere Formen (Schlitze, Risse), mit großer Genauigkeit erfaßt werden können. Weiter ist das Meßergebnis unabhängig von der Fördergeschwindigkeit der Fördereinrichtung. Die Messung wird nicht - wie bei optischen Meßverfahren - von Schmutzteilen beeinträchtigt. Auch Temperatureinflüsse sind unerheblich. Außerdem ist die Sortiereinrichtung gegenüber optischen Systemen wesentlich billiger. Die Fördereinrichtung kann beispielsweise aus einer einfachen Schiene mit einem Linerförderer bestehen. Durch die Kombination von mechanischen und elektrischen Meßstellen wird die Zuverlässigkeit der Sortiereinrichtung erheblich verbessert.The sorting device according to the invention with the characterizing features of the main claim has the advantage that the complete shape of the screws, both their shape and their dimensions, their surface quality and their internal shapes (slots, cracks) can be determined with great accuracy. Furthermore, the measurement result is independent of the conveyor speed of the conveyor. The measurement is not - as with optical measuring methods - affected by dirt. Temperature influences are also irrelevant. In addition, the sorting device is much cheaper than optical systems. The conveyor can consist, for example, of a simple rail with a liner conveyor. The reliability of the sorting device is considerably improved by the combination of mechanical and electrical measuring points.

Zeichnungdrawing

Ein Ausführungsbeispiel der Sortiereinrichtung ist in der Zeichnung dargestellt und in der nachfolgenden Beschreibung näher erläutert. Figur 1 zeigt eine Draufsicht auf die gesamte Sortiereinrichtung. Figur 2 zeigt einen Querschnitt durch die Schablone 13 gemäß Linie II-II in Figur 1. Figur 3 zeigt einen Querschnitt durch die Schaftsensoren 21 und 22. In Figure 4 ist ein Meßdiagramm des Schaftsensors dargestellt. Figur 5 zeigt einen Querschnitt durch den Kopfsensor 25. In Figur 6 ist eine Schraubspindel gezeigt. Figur 7 zeigt den Regelkreis der Sortiereinrichtung.An embodiment of the sorting device is shown in the drawing and explained in more detail in the following description. Figure 1 shows a plan view of the entire sorting device. Figure 2 shows a cross section through the template 13 along the line II-II in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows a cross section through the shaft sensors 21 and 22. In Figure 4, a measurement diagram of the shaft sensor is shown. FIG. 5 shows a cross section through the head sensor 25. A screw spindle is shown in FIG. Figure 7 shows the control loop of the sorting device.

Beschreibung des AusführungsbeispielesDescription of the embodiment

Die Sortiereinrichtung ist in zwei Hauptteile gegliedert, einen Fördertopf 1 und eine Linearstrecke 2 mit den Einrichtungen zur Schraubenerkennung und Aussonderung. An die Linearstrecke 2 kann sich eine Vereinzelungseinrichtung 3 und ein oder mehrere Schraubspindeln oder eine nicht gezeigte Verpackungsmaschine anschließen.The sorting device is divided into two main parts, a conveyor pot 1 and a linear section 2 with the devices for screw detection and rejection. A separating device 3 and one or more screw spindles or a packaging machine (not shown) can be connected to the linear section 2.

Der an sich bekannte Fördertopf 1 nimmt die Schrauben, Nägel, Kopfbolzen oder ähnliches als Schüttgut auf und bringt sie in Reihe an einer Schiene 4 hängend aus. Die Schiene 4 weist einen Schlitz 5 auf, durch den die Schäfte der Schrauben, nicht aber die Köpfe hindurchtreten können. Die Schiene 4 setzt sich übergangslos in der zur Linearstrecke 2 gehörigen Schiene 6 mit einem dem Schlitz 5 entsprechenden Schlitz 7 fort. Die Schiene 6 ist mit einem an sich bekannten Linearförderer 8 fest verbunden, der durch Vibration eine möglichst konstante geradlinige Förderbewegung auf die Schrauben 9 ausübt.The well-known conveyor pot 1 takes up the screws, nails, head bolts or the like as bulk material and brings them in a row hanging from a rail 4. The rail 4 has a slot 5 through which the shafts of the screws, but not the heads, can pass. The rail 4 continues seamlessly in the rail 6 belonging to the linear path 2 with a slot 7 corresponding to the slot 5. The rail 6 is fixedly connected to a linear conveyor 8, known per se, which, by means of vibration, exerts a linear conveying movement that is as constant as possible on the screws 9.

Der Schlitz 7 erweitert sich zu einem Loch 10, das geringfügig kleiner als der Kopfdurchmesser der zu prüfenden Schraube 9 ist und durch das Schrauben mit zu kleinem Kopfdurchmesser in einen Auffangbehälter 11 für nicht brauchbare Schrauben fallen.The slot 7 widens to a hole 10 which is slightly smaller than the head diameter of the screw 9 to be tested and fall through the screwing with too small a head diameter into a collecting container 11 for unusable screws.

Ist der Kopfdurchmesser jedoch nicht zu klein, so wird die Schraube 9 weiter auf einen Wechselschieber 12 gefördert und kommt an eine Schablone 13. In die Schablone 13 sind die geförderten Schraubengeometrien in bezug auf Kopfdurchmesser A, Schaftdurchmesser B, Kopfhöhe C und Schaftlänge D eingearbeitet (Figur 2). Die Schablone 13 besteht aus zwei Hälften 14 und 15, um sie an die Schiene 6 anbauen zu können, z.B. durch nicht gezeigte Schrauben, die die Schablonenhälften 14 und 15 durchgreifen und in die Schmalseiten der Schiene 6 eingeschraubt sind. Wird eines der geforderten Maße überschritten, so staut sich das Schraubenmaterial en der Schablone 13.However, if the head diameter is not too small, the screw 9 is further conveyed onto an interchangeable slide 12 and comes to a template 13. The screw geometries conveyed are incorporated into the template 13 in relation to head diameter A, shaft diameter B, head height C and shaft length D ( Figure 2). The template 13 consists of two halves 14 and 15 so that they can be attached to the rail 6, e.g. by screws, not shown, which reach through the template halves 14 and 15 and are screwed into the narrow sides of the rail 6. If one of the required dimensions is exceeded, the screw material jams in the template 13.

Der Wechselschieber 12 besteht aus zwei kurzen Schienenstücken 16 und 17, die an einer Stange 18 geführt, abwechselnd in eine Lücke der Schiene 6 einrückbar sind. Unterhalb des Wechselschiebers 12 befindet sich ein Auffangbehälter 19, in den von dem Wechselschieber aus der Linearstrecke 2 entnommene nicht maßhaltige Schrauben aufgrund der auch auf die Schienenstücke 16 und 17 ausgeübte Förderwirkung des Linearförderers 8 hineinfallen. Der Wechselschieber 12 erhält sein Ausrücksignal von einer Regeleinrichtung 50, die später noch beschrieben wird.The interchangeable slide 12 consists of two short rail sections 16 and 17, which are guided on a rod 18 and can be inserted alternately into a gap in the rail 6. Below the interchangeable slide 12 there is a collecting container 19, into which screws of the dimensionally unstable screws removed from the interchangeable slide from the linear path 2 are due to the conveying effect also exerted on the rail sections 16 and 17 of the linear conveyor 8 fall into it. The shuttle valve 12 receives its release signal from a control device 50, which will be described later.

Im weiteren Verlauf der Linearstrecke 2 ist überhalb der Schiene 6 ein Stausensor 20 angeordnet, der erkennen kann, ob sich unter ihm Schrauben befinden oder nicht. Der Stausensor 20 kann nach mechanischem, induktivem, kapazitiven, piezoelektrischem, dem Ultraschall oder dem Wirbelstromprinzip oder nach anderen Prinzipien arbeiten und gibt sein Signal an die elektrische oder pneumatische Regeleinrichtung 50 (Figur 7) ab.In the further course of the linear path 2, a traffic jam sensor 20 is arranged above the rail 6 and can detect whether there are screws under it or not. The traffic jam sensor 20 can operate according to mechanical, inductive, capacitive, piezoelectric, ultrasound or the eddy current principle or according to other principles and emits its signal to the electrical or pneumatic control device 50 (FIG. 7).

In Förderrichtung dem Stausensor 20 nachgeordnet ist der Schaftsensor 21, 22, der in Aussparungen der seitlichen Flanken der Schiene 6 eingesetzt ist (Figur 3). Der Schaftsensor besteht aus zwei Teilen 21, 22, in denen jeweils eine Spule 23, 24 angeordnet ist. Die Spulen arbeiten vorzugsweise nach dem Wirbelstromprinzip, dessen Wirkungsweise in unserer (am gleichen Tag eingereichten) Anmeldung P 37 06 574.2 genauer beschrieben ist und womit auch Oberflächenfehler gut erkannt werden können. Statt der Spulen 23, 24 können aber auch Platten in dem Schaftsensor enthalten sein und die Messung kapazitiv vorgenommen werden.Downstream of the accumulation sensor 20 is the shaft sensor 21, 22, which is inserted into recesses in the lateral flanks of the rail 6 (FIG. 3). The shaft sensor consists of two parts 21, 22, in each of which a coil 23, 24 is arranged. The coils preferably work according to the eddy current principle, the mode of operation of which is described in more detail in our application P 37 06 574.2 (filed on the same day) and with which surface defects can also be easily recognized. Instead of the coils 23, 24, plates can also be contained in the shaft sensor and the measurement can be carried out capacitively.

Mit Hilfe des Schaftsensors 21, 22 lassen sich folgende Abmessungen überwachen: Schaftdurchmesser, Schaftlänge, Gewindefehler, Materialfehler wie Risse oder Lunker, und Oberflächenfehler, z.B. mangelhafte Oberflächenbehandlung. Es ergibt sich ein Meßsignal, welches in Figur 4 dargestellt ist. Nach rechts ist die Zeit t aufgetragen, nach oben die Höhe des Meßsignals. Die ersten drei Schrauben liegen innerhalb der Toleranzbreite T und sind in Ordnung. Die nächsten vier Schrauben sind fehlerhaft und erzeugen ein zu geringes Meßsignal. Da sich bei dieser Meßmethode Fehler kompensieren können, z.B. Schaftdurchmesser zu klein/Gewinde fehlt oder Schaft zu lang/Lunker wurden einige Kriterien bereits vorher mechanisch durch das Loch 10 und die Schablone 13 geprüft und fehlerhafte Schrauben aussortiert. Die von dem Schaftsensor 21, 22 zu überwachenden Prüfkriterien verringern sich also auf: Schaftdurchmesser zu klein, Schaftlänge zu kurz, Gewinde-, Material- und Oberflächenfehler. Durch Anordnung mehrerer Spulenpaare untereinander entlang des Schraubenschaftes läßt sich die Zuverlässigkeit der Sortiereinrichtung noch steigern.The following dimensions can be monitored with the aid of the shaft sensor 21, 22: shaft diameter, shaft length, thread defects, material defects such as cracks or cavities, and surface defects, for example poor surface treatment. A measurement signal results, which is shown in FIG. 4. The time t is plotted on the right, the height of the measurement signal upwards. The first three screws are within the tolerance range T and are OK. The next four screws are faulty and generate a measurement signal that is too low. Since errors can be compensated for with this measuring method, e.g. shaft diameter too small / thread missing or shaft too long / blowholes Some criteria were previously checked mechanically through the hole 10 and the template 13 and defective screws were sorted out. The test criteria to be monitored by the shaft sensor 21, 22 are therefore reduced to: shaft diameter too small, shaft length too short, thread, material and surface defects. The reliability of the sorting device can be increased even further by arranging several pairs of coils along the screw shaft.

Der Schaftsensor 21, 22 registriert sowohl einen Zählimpuls Z (Figur 4) mit laufender Nunmer, der bei jeder vorbeigeführten Schraube ausgelöst wird, als auch die Höhe des Schaftsignals. Liegt die Meßsignalspannung außerhalb der zulässigen Toleranzbreite T so wird dem Zählimpuls dieser Schraube ein Fehlersignal zugeordnet und die Schraube wird weiter bis zum Vereinzelungsblock 30 gefördert. Ein dort angeordneter Kopfsensor 25 registriert ebenfalls Zählimpulse mit laufender Nummer. Erscheint dort eine Schraube mit einer Nummer, der ein Fehlersignal zugeordnet ist, wird sie dem Zuteilschieber 38 für fehlerhafte Schrauben zugeteilt. Zweckmäßigerweise werden die Signale durch eine dafür entwickelte Steuerung verarbeitet.The shaft sensor 21, 22 registers both a counting pulse Z (FIG. 4) with a running nunmer, which is triggered each time a screw is passed, and the height of the shaft signal. If the measurement signal voltage lies outside the permissible tolerance range T, an error signal is assigned to the counting pulse of this screw and the screw is further conveyed to the separating block 30. A head sensor 25 arranged there also registers counting pulses with a serial number. If there appears a screw with a number to which an error signal is assigned, it is assigned to the feed slide 38 for defective screws. The signals are expediently processed by a controller developed for this purpose.

Der Kopfsensor 25 ist in einem definierten konstanten Abstand K oberhalb der Schiene 6 bzw. der Aufnahmegabel 27 angebracht (Figur 5). Die in dem Kopfsensor 25 angeordnete Spule 26 arbeitet ebenfalls nach dem Wirbelstromprinzip gemäß unserer Anmeldung P 37 06 574.2. Der Kopfsensor 25 erkennt folgende Fehler: Kopfhöhe zu niedrig (Kopfhöhe zu hoch wird durch die Schablone 13 geprüft), Kopfdurch messer zu groß (Kopfdurchmesser zu klein wird ebenfalls durch die Schablone 13 geprüft, fehlerhafte Schlitzausprägung bzw. Kraftangriffsflächen (z.B. Schlitz statt Torx, nicht vorhandener Schlitz) und Oberflächenfehler. Außerdem registriert er den oben beschriebenen Zählimpuls. Fehlerhafte Schrauben erzeugen - ähnlich wie bei dem Schaftsensor (Figur 4) - ein zu großes oder zu kleines Meßsignal. Dies bewirkt sofort die Betätigung des Zuteilschiebers 38 für fehlerhafte Schrauben.The head sensor 25 is attached at a defined constant distance K above the rail 6 or the receiving fork 27 (FIG. 5). The coil 26 arranged in the head sensor 25 also works according to the eddy current principle according to our application P 37 06 574.2. The head sensor 25 detects the following errors: head height too low (head height too high is checked by template 13), head diameter too large (head diameter too small is also checked by template 13), incorrect slot design or force application surfaces (e.g. slot instead of Torx, not existing slot) and surface defect and also registers the counting pulse described above. Faulty screws produce - similar to the shaft sensor (FIG. 4) - a measuring signal that is too large or too small. This immediately causes the feed slide 38 for faulty screws to be actuated.

Die Schiene 6 endet kurz vor dem Kopfsensor 25 und setzt sich übergangslos in der Aufnahmekabel 27 des Querschiebers 28 fort, der in einer Führungskulisse 29 des Vereinzelungsblocks 30 geführt ist. Die Führungskulisse 29 ist schräg zur Schieberichtung des Vereinzelungsschiebers 31 angeordnet, der die geprüften Schrauben rechtwinklig zur Schiene 6 zu dem Zuteilloch 32 befördert. Die Verschiebung des Vereinzelungsschiebers 31 wird durch ein nicht gezeigtes Arbeitsaggregat bewerkstelligt, das mit der Schubstange 33 verbunden ist. Die Schubstange ist wiederum fest mit dem Vereinzelungsschieber 31 verbunden. Während der Verschiebung des Vereinzelungsschiebers 31 weicht der Querschieber 28 wegen der Führungskulisse 29 von der Schraube zurück (in Figur 1 nach rechts) und gibt den Schraubenkopf frei, so daß die Schraube frei durch das Zuteilloch 32 in einen der gezeigten Zuteilschieber 34 bis 38 fallen kann. Insgbesamt sind zwölf Zuteilschieber an die Platte 44 anbaubar.The rail 6 ends just before the head sensor 25 and continues seamlessly in the receiving cable 27 of the cross slide 28, which is guided in a guide link 29 of the separating block 30. The guide link 29 is arranged obliquely to the sliding direction of the separating slide 31, which conveys the tested screws at right angles to the rail 6 to the feed hole 32. The displacement of the separating slide 31 is accomplished by a work unit, not shown, which is connected to the push rod 33. The push rod is in turn firmly connected to the separating slide 31. During the displacement of the separating slide 31, the cross slide 28 withdraws from the screw due to the guide link 29 (to the right in FIG. 1) and releases the screw head, so that the screw can fall freely through the hole 32 into one of the metering slides 34 to 38 shown . A total of twelve metering slides can be attached to plate 44.

Die Zuteilschieber weisen Gehäuse 39 auf, in denen Kolben 40 geführt sind. Die Kolbenstangen 41 der Kolben 40 tragen Kopfstücke 42 mit Bohrungen 43. Unterhalb der Bohrungen 43 sind in Figur 1 nicht gezeigte Zublasschläuche angeschlossen, durch die hindurch die vereinzelten Schrauben entweder zur Verpackung oder über die Zublasschläuche 61 zu in Figur 6 dargestellten Schraubspindeln 60 gefördert werden.The metering slides have housings 39 in which pistons 40 are guided. The piston rods 41 of the pistons 40 carry head pieces 42 with bores 43. Below the bores 43, inlet hoses, not shown in FIG. 1, are connected, through which the individual screws are conveyed either for packaging or via the inlet hoses 61 to screw spindles 60 shown in FIG.

Zur Steuerung der Vereinzelungseinrichtung 3 sind in den Zangenbacken 62 der Schraubspindeln 60 Sensoren 63 z.B. Wirbelsensoren eingesetzt, die entweder das Signal "Schraube in der Zange" oder "keine Schraube in der Zange" an die Vereinzelungseinrichtung 3 abgeben.To control the separating device 3 60 sensors 63 are e.g. in the jaws 62 of the screw spindles 60 Vortex sensors are used, which either output the signal "screw in the pliers" or "no screw in the pliers" to the separating device 3.

Die Regeleinrichtung 50 (Figur 7) hat als Eingangsgröße das Signal des Sensor 20 und als Quittung die Rückmeldung der Fördertopfes 1 über dessen Betriebszustand (Ein-Aus). Das Sensorsignal durchläuft einen Signalaufbereitung 51 und eine Zeitsteuerschaltung 51 mit zwei Ausgängen. Einer der Ausgänge schaltet den Fördertopf entweder ein oder aus, der andere betätigt den Wechselschieber 12 in der Weise, daß das gerade in der Linearstrecke 2 befindliche Schienenstück 16 oder 17 ausgerückt und das andere Schienenstück 17 oder 16 in die Lücke der Linearstrecke 2 eingerückt wird.The control device 50 (FIG. 7) has the signal from the sensor 20 as the input variable and the acknowledgment of the feedback from the feed pot 1 about its operating state (on-off). The sensor signal passes through a signal processor 51 and a timing control circuit 51 with two Exits. One of the outputs either switches the feed pot on or off, the other actuates the change-over slide 12 in such a way that the rail section 16 or 17 currently in the linear section 2 is disengaged and the other rail section 17 or 16 is inserted into the gap in the linear section 2.

Claims (20)

  1. Sorting device for fastening construction parts having heads, in particular screws, having a conveying device configured as a linear section (2), characterised in that on the conveying device there are disposed a plurality of mechanical and electrical measuring stations (10, 13, 21, 22, 25), which detect incorrectly sized construction parts, and ejection devices (10, 12, 3) which are assigned to the respective measuring stations and separate out these construction parts, the mechanical measuring stations (10, 13) preceding the electrical ones (21, 22, 25).
  2. Sorting device according to Claim 1, characterised by an accumulation sensor (20) which can detect the presence of fastening construction parts on the linear section (2) and transmits corresponding signals to a control device (50).
  3. Sorting device according to Claim 2, characterised in that the accumulation sensor (20) works on the eddy-current principle.
  4. Sorting device according to one of Claims 2 and 3, characterised in that the control device (50) exhibits a signal processor (51) and a time-control circuit (52) and two outputs, one for switching the screw feed device, in particular of a conveying pot (1), and one for actuating an ejection device, in particular of a changeover slide (12).
  5. Sorting device according to Claim 4, characterised in that the control device (50), whenever an accumulation occurs at the accumulation sensor (20), switches off the conveying pot (1).
  6. Sorting devise according to Claim 4, characterised in that the control device (50), whenever an accumulation occurs at the changeover slide (12), triggers the latter.
  7. Sorting device according to Claim 4, characterised in that the control device (50), whenever there is a lengthy absence of screws at the accumulation sensor, switches on the conveying pot (1).
  8. Sorting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the linear section (2) exhibits a rail (6) having a linear conveyor (8), which effects a conveyance of the fastening construction parts in the direction of the isolating device (3).
  9. Sorting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that one of the mechanical measuring stations comprises a hole (10) in the rail (6) of the linear section (2), which hole is slightly smaller than the head diameter of the fastening construction parts to be tested, in particular of the screws (9), and through which construction parts having too small a head diameter fall into a collecting tray (11).
  10. Sorting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that another of the mechanical measuring stations comprises a template (13) having an opening for the fastening construction parts, which opening is dimensioned such that construction parts with too high a head height, too large a diameter, too large a shank diameter, too long a shank or an otherwise deviant external form are detained.
  11. Sorting device according to Claim 10, characterised in that in the conveying section, directly in front of the template (13), there is disposed as an ejection device a changeover slide (12), which removes from the linear section (2) a construction part which is retained in front of the template (13).
  12. Sorting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that one of the electrical measuring stations, a shank sensor (21, 22), is disposed on the rail (6) in the region of the shank of those fastening construction parts located in the rail (6), in particular screws (9), which shank sensor, in the event of incorrectly sized or defective shanks, transmits a different measurement signal from that in respect of satisfactory construction parts.
  13. Sorting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a further electrical measuring station, namely a head sensor (25), is disposed above the rail (6) and, in the event of defective construction part heads, transmits a signal to separate out this construction part.
  14. Sorting device according to Claim 12 and/or 13, characterised in that the sensors (21, 22 or 25) work on the eddy-current principle.
  15. Sorting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at the end of the sorting device there is disposed an isolating device (3), which separates correctly sized from defective fastening construction parts and can be connected to the packaging apparatuses or screw spindles (60).
  16. Sorting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that one of the receiving members of the isolating device (3), in particular an assignment slide (38), is activated by the sensors (21, 22 or 25) whenever defective construction parts are detected and picks off the latter.
  17. Sorting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sensors (21, 22 and 25) additionally register a counting pulse.
  18. Sorting device according to Claim 17, characterised in that whenever defective construction parts appear at the shank sensor (21, 22), a defect signal is allocated to the counting pulse of these construction parts.
  19. Sorting device according to Claim 18, characterised in that a control system is provided which registers the counting pulses of the sensors (21, 22 and 25) and actuates the assignment slide (38) for defective construction parts whenever a counting pulse with a defect signal appears at the head sensor (25).
  20. Sorting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in plier jaws (62) of the screw spindles (60) there are disposed sensors (63) which, in the presence of a screw, transmit a different signal than if no screw is present in the plier jaws (62).
EP88100738A 1987-02-28 1988-01-20 Sorting device Expired - Lifetime EP0280857B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE3706575 1987-02-28
DE19873706575 DE3706575A1 (en) 1987-02-28 1987-02-28 SORTING DEVICE

Publications (3)

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EP0280857A2 EP0280857A2 (en) 1988-09-07
EP0280857A3 EP0280857A3 (en) 1989-08-30
EP0280857B1 true EP0280857B1 (en) 1993-11-18

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EP88100738A Expired - Lifetime EP0280857B1 (en) 1987-02-28 1988-01-20 Sorting device

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US (1) US4905842A (en)
EP (1) EP0280857B1 (en)
DE (2) DE3706575A1 (en)
ES (1) ES2046993T3 (en)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE3885629D1 (en) 1993-12-23
DE3706575A1 (en) 1988-09-08
US4905842A (en) 1990-03-06
ES2046993T3 (en) 1994-02-16
EP0280857A2 (en) 1988-09-07
EP0280857A3 (en) 1989-08-30

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