JP2000085960A - Feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce facility cost and save space. SOLUTION: This feeding device is provided with a main conveying passage 20 to carry a bolt B (work) delivered from a part feeder 10 to a following process device, an auxiliary conveying passage 30 to carry the bolt B to another process device which is different from the following process device and a transfer means 40 to transfer and place the bolt B carried on the main conveying passage 20 to and on the auxiliary conveying passage 30. The bolt B delivered from the part feeder 10 is firstly carried toward the following process device on the main conveying passage 20. During this time, a part of the bolts B to be carried is transferred to the auxiliary conveying passage 30 by the transfer means 40 and is carried to the other process device. Even in case of simultaneously feeding the bolts B to a plural number of the devices, it can be done by the one part feeder 10, and accordingly, it is possible to reduce facility cost and to save space.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a supply device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a means for supplying a work sent from a parts feeder to a next process device, a transfer path is provided between the parts feeder and the next process device, and bolts are sent from the parts feeder to the transfer path one by one. Then, a method has been adopted in which bolts are sequentially supplied to the next process apparatus along the transport path.

[0003]

Conventionally, one parts feeder is provided for one transport path. Therefore, when there are a plurality of next process apparatuses to be supplied, the apparatus is connected to each apparatus. It is necessary to separately provide a parts feeder for each of the transport paths, which not only increases the equipment cost but also increases the installation space.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a parts feeder for sending out a work, a main conveyance path for conveying the work sent out from the parts feeder to a next process device, Is characterized by comprising a sub-transport path for transporting a work to a different separate process device, and a transfer means for transferring the work being transported on the main transport path to the sub-transport path. . Claim 2
The invention according to claim 1, wherein the transfer means is:
A chuck mechanism that holds the work on the main transfer path and releases the held work on the sub transfer path,
It is characterized by comprising an elevating mechanism for raising and lowering the chuck mechanism, and a horizontal moving mechanism for horizontally moving the elevating mechanism between a position above the main transport path and a position above the sub transport path. Having.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the work is a bolt having a screw portion and a head portion, and the sub-conveying path is provided on both sides of the slit portion and the head portion. 3. The supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of bearing surfaces that support the main part, wherein the sub-transport path includes the main surface by the transfer unit among the bearing surfaces. 4. An air nozzle is provided that ejects pressurized air toward a position where the head of the bolt transferred from the transport path is mounted, and the mounted bolt causes the head to float from the bearing surface. When it becomes
The pressure of the pressurized air is applied to the gap between the floating head and the bearing surface so that the bolt in an incorrect state can be bounced out of the sub-transport path.

[0006]

Operation and Effect of the Invention [Invention of Claim 1] A work sent out from a parts feeder is first conveyed on a main conveyance path to a next process apparatus. During this time, a part of the conveyed work is moved onto the sub-transport path by the transfer means and is conveyed to another process apparatus. As described above, even when the workpieces are simultaneously supplied to a plurality of devices, only one parts feeder is required, so that the equipment cost can be reduced and the space can be saved.

When transferring a workpiece from the main transport path to the sub-transport path, a chuck mechanism holds the workpiece on the main transport path, and the chuck mechanism is moved up and down by a lifting mechanism and horizontally. The moving mechanism horizontally moves from a position above the main transport path to a position above the sub-transport path, and further descends by the elevating mechanism to release the last held work. Then, the released work comes to be transported on the sub-transport path.

If the bolt is not transferred to the sub-transport path in an appropriate state, the bolt is jumped out of the sub-transport path by the pressure of the pressurized air. It can be prevented from being transported.

[0009]

[First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The supply device according to the present embodiment includes a parts feeder 1 for feeding out a bolt B (a work that is a component of the present invention).
0, and the main transport path 20 for transporting the bolt B sent from the parts feeder 10 to the next process apparatus (not shown).
And another process device (not shown) different from the next process device
The main transport path 20 is provided with a sub-transport path 30 for transporting the bolts B, and a transfer unit 40 for transferring the bolts B transported on the main transport path 20 to the sub-transport path 30.

[0010] The bolt B includes a screw portion Ba and the screw portion B.
A head Bb having a diameter larger than a and a washer Bc externally fitted to the base end of the screw portion Ba on the head Bb side. Parts feeder 1
Numeral 0 denotes a well-known structure having a drum-shaped housing portion 11 with an open top surface and a delivery port 12 in which a part of the upper peripheral edge of the housing portion 11 is cut off. The bolts B are sequentially sent out from the feed port 12 to the outside of the parts feeder 10 one by one.

The main transport path 20 is composed of a pair of conveyor belts 21 that run horizontally with a gap larger than the outer diameter of the screw portion Ba of the bolt B and smaller than the outer diameter of the washer Bc. It is connected to the delivery port 12 of the parts feeder 10, and the terminal end is connected to a next process device (not shown). The main transport path 20 is configured to transport the bolts B to the next process apparatus with the washer Bc placed on the conveyor belt 21 with the screw Ba inserted between the conveyor belts 21.

The sub-conveying path 30 is disposed in parallel with the main conveying path 20, and, like the main conveying path 20, has a pair of conveyor belts 3.
Consists of one. The bolt B is conveyed in a state where the screw portion Ba is inserted into the slit 32 between the conveyor belts 31 and the head Bb is supported on the bearing surface 33 on the upper surface of both conveyor belts 31 via the washer Bc. I have. The end of the sub-transport path 30 is connected to another process device (not shown) different from the next process device that is the destination of the main transport path 20. A support surface 33 is provided at the start end of the sub-transport path 30.
Among them, an air nozzle 34 for jetting pressurized air obliquely from above toward a position where the head Bb of the bolt B transferred by the transfer means 40 described later is placed is provided.

The start of the sub-transport path 30 and the main transport path 2
The transfer means 40 is provided between the start point of the zero and the structure thereof is as follows. A pair of columns 41 are erected near the beginning of the main transport path 20 and near the beginning of the sub-transport path 30, and a horizontal moving mechanism 43 is attached to the horizontal beam 42 extending between the upper ends of the columns 41. Is provided. The horizontal moving mechanism 43 includes a guide groove 44 formed in the horizontal beam 42, a cable member (not shown) such as a chain provided in the horizontal beam 42, and a motor (not shown) for horizontally moving the cable member. Is done. An elevating mechanism 45 is fitted in the guide groove 44 so as to be horizontally movable, and a cable member is connected to the elevating mechanism 45 so as to move integrally. The lifting mechanism 45 is composed of an air cylinder 46 having a rod 47 protruding downward.
A chuck mechanism 48 is attached to the lower end of 7. The chuck mechanism 48 includes a finger 49 capable of holding the head Bb of the bolt B from three directions, a driving body 50 for displacing the finger 49 between a position for holding the head Bb and a position for releasing the holding. Consists of

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. All the bolts B sent out from the parts feeder 10 are temporarily placed on the main transport path 20,
By operating the conveyor belt 21 intermittently so as to temporarily stop one by one, a part of the bolts B is supplied to the next process device by the main transport path 20, but the other bolts B are transferred as necessary by the transfer means 40. Is transferred to the sub-transport path 30 and supplied to another process apparatus. The transfer to the sub-transport path 30 is performed as follows. First, the transport state of the bolt B is checked by a detection unit (not shown) provided below the chuck mechanism 48. When the conveyance state of the bolt B is proper, the finger 49 is closed by the operation of the driving body 50 of the chuck mechanism 48, and the head Bb of the bolt B on the main conveyance path 20 is closed.
2 (shown by a solid line in FIG. 2), the fingers 49 holding the bolts B move upward by the operation of the air cylinder 46, and then the motor of the horizontal moving mechanism 43 moves the cable members to move the air cylinder 46. , The finger 49 and the bolt B move horizontally as a unit. Then, when the bolt B reaches directly above the sub-transport path 30, the motor stops. Next, the air cylinder 46 operates to extend the rod 47 to lower the finger 49 and the bolt B,
The screw portion Ba is dropped into the slit 32 (FIG. 2).
Is indicated by a chain line). Thereafter, the finger 49 is opened to release the head Bb, and the operation of the air cylinder 46 causes the finger 49 to move upward.

On the other hand, the bolt B released from the finger 49 and left at the start end of the sub-transport path 30 receives pressurized air jetted from the air nozzle 34 at the same time as it is transferred. At this time, the bolt B connects the head Bb to the bearing surface 3
3 is placed in a normal state in close contact with the washer Bc on the upper surface 3, because the ejection pressure of the pressurized air acts to press the head Bb against the bearing surface 33 of the conveyor belt 31 from above. , Bolt B as it is on conveyor belt 31
Is transported toward another process apparatus. However, when the bolt B is placed in an incorrect state with its head Bb lifted from the washer Bc, pressurized air is blown into the gap between the washer Bc and the head Bb. A strong push-up force acts on the head Bb due to the pressure, and the bolt B is bounced off the sub-transport path 30. Even if the bolt B is improperly placed, if the lifting amount of the head Bb is small, the head Bb is pressed by the pressurized air acting on the head Bb. The bolt B is brought into close contact with the washer Bc, and the bolt B is corrected to a normal mounted state.

As described above, in this embodiment, a part of the bolt B sent out to the main transport path 20 is
To the sub-conveying path 30 and supply it to another processing apparatus different from the next processing apparatus to which the main conveying path 20 is supplied. Therefore, even when the bolts B are supplied to a plurality of apparatuses at the same time, the parts feeder Only one 10 is required, which can reduce equipment costs and save space. Further, when the bolt B is transferred to the sub-transport path 30 in an appropriate state,
If the transfer state is incorrect, the bolt B is jumped out of the sub-transport path 30 by the pressure of the pressurized air, so that the bolt B is prevented from being transferred in an incorrectly mounted state. .

[Other Embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above with reference to the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) In the above embodiment, one sub-transport path is used. However, according to the present invention, two or more sub-transport paths may be used. (2) In the above embodiment, the case where the work is a bolt has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to a case where the work is other than the bolt.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway front view.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway side view showing a main transport path and a transfer unit.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a sub-transport path and an air nozzle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 B: Bolt (work) Ba: Screw section Bb: Head 10: Parts feeder 20: Main transport path 30: Sub transport path 32: Slit 33: Bearing surface 34: Air nozzle 40: Transfer means 43: Horizontal moving mechanism 45: Elevating Mechanism 48… Chuck mechanism

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Hanada 25th Ueikeike, Yoshihara-cho, Toyota-shi, Aichi F-term (reference) 3A072 AA21 GA05 GC07 KA01 KD01 KD27 3F081 AA32 BB05 BC04 BD05 BD08 BD11 BD16 BD21 CC08 CD23 CE02

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A parts feeder for sending out a work, a main transfer path for transferring the work sent out from the parts feeder to a next process unit, and a sub-conveyor for transferring the work to another process unit different from the next process unit. A supply device, comprising: a transport path; and a transfer unit configured to transfer the work transported on the main transport path to the sub-transport path. 2. A transfer mechanism comprising: a chuck mechanism for holding a work on the main transport path and releasing the held work on the sub-transport path; an elevating mechanism for elevating and lowering the chuck mechanism; 2. The supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a horizontal movement mechanism configured to horizontally move between a position above the main conveyance path and a position above the sub conveyance path. 3. 3. The work is a bolt having a screw portion and a head portion, wherein the sub-transport path is provided with a slit for inserting the screw portion, and a pair of slits provided on both sides of the slit to support the head portion. 3. The supply device according to claim 1, further comprising: a support surface that is transferred from the main transport path to the sub-transport path by the transfer unit of the support surface. 4. An air nozzle is provided for ejecting pressurized air toward a position where the head of the bolt is mounted, and when the mounted bolt is in an illegal state in which the head is lifted from the bearing surface, A supply device, wherein a pressure of the pressurized air is applied to a gap between the floating head and the bearing surface so that the bolt in an incorrect state can be bounced out of the sub-transport path.