JP2000142979A - Automatic loading device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve operation efficiency and production efficiency by storing carrying patterns of an article between a feeder and a pallet, selecting the carrying pattern designated by a loading instruction when the loading instruction is inputted, and instructing the loading operation from the feeder to the pallet to a robot. SOLUTION: A feeder group 1 is formed of feeders 1a, 1b for feeding an article 2, and an industrial robot 3 has a handle 4 for holding the article 2 arranged opposite to the feeder group 1. A control device 6 starts the loading of the article 2 on the basis of a loading instruction 7 and instructs the loading operation on the basis of a carrying pattern designation instruction 8. The carrying patterns of the article 2 between the feeders 1a, 1b and pallets 5a, 5b are stored, the carrying pattern designated by the loading instruction 7 is selected from the carrying patterns, and the loading operation is instructed to the industrial robot 3 according to the selected carrying pattern. Therefore, the feeders 1a, 1b and the pallets 5a, 5b can efficiently be used according to a production state.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic loading apparatus for loading a plurality of articles on an empty pallet by an industrial robot.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the general construction of a conventional automatic loading apparatus, in which supply devices 1a and 1b for supplying articles 2, an industrial robot (hereinafter referred to as a robot) 3, and a pallet 5a on which the articles 2 are stacked. , 5b. The conventional automatic loading device is configured as described above, and when a loading command 7 is input to the control device 6, a predetermined article 2 is supplied to the supply device 1.
a, 1b.

The article 2 supplied to the supply devices 1a and 1b is gripped by the handle 4 of the industrial robot 3,
It is conveyed like the flow line 15 which is the convey pattern, and is stacked on the pallets 5a and 5b. In this manner, the articles are sequentially stacked on the pallets 5a and 5b according to the procedure determined for the articles 2.

[0004]

In the conventional automatic loading device as described above, the flow line 15 between the supply devices 1a and 1b and the pallets 5a and 5b to be loaded is fixed, so that the production schedule is convenient. For example, when the articles 2 are not supplied from the supply apparatus 1a, the articles 2 from the supply apparatus 1b are stacked on the pallet 5b. As a result, while the loading of one pallet of the pallet 5b is completed and the pallet is replaced, the robot 3 stops working, and there is a problem that the transport efficiency is deteriorated.

If the same article 2 is supplied from both of the supply devices 1a and 1b, and the subsequent process is stopped and the pallet 5a cannot be used, the supply device 1a is not used.
There is a problem that the articles 2 from a cannot be stacked and the operation efficiency of the automatic loading device is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to provide an automatic loading apparatus capable of improving operation efficiency and production efficiency according to production conditions.

An automatic loading device according to a first aspect of the present invention stores a transport pattern of articles between a supply device and a pallet, and when a loading command is input, loads the transport pattern from the stored transport patterns. The transport pattern specified by the loading instruction is selected, and the robot is instructed to load the pallet from the supply device.

The automatic loading device according to the second invention is
In the first aspect of the invention, the transport pattern specifies which pallet is to be loaded with articles from which supply device.

[0009] The automatic loading device according to the third invention is characterized in that:
When a loading command is input, the corresponding supply device and pallet are specified, and the pallet unit loading order is specified, and a transfer pattern of articles between the supply device and the pallet is created. The robot is instructed to perform a loading operation to the robot.

The automatic loading device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention comprises:
In the third invention, the transport pattern information input device is installed in a host device.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 FIGS. 1 to 4 show one embodiment of the first and second aspects of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram, FIG. 2 is a block diagram, FIG. Is an operation flowchart, in which the same reference numerals denote the same parts (the same applies to the following embodiments).

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a supply device group including supply devices 1a and 1b for supplying an article 2, and 3 denotes a supply device group 1.
An industrial robot (hereinafter referred to as a robot) having a handle 4 which is installed to face the object 2 and grips the article 2, 5 is a robot 3
Pallet 5 on which articles 2 installed near the pallet are stacked
The pallet group 6 composed of a and 5b starts the loading of the articles 2 based on the loading command 7, and the transport pattern specifying command 8
Is a control device that commands a loading operation based on the

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 6A denotes a computer constituting the control unit 6, a CPU 6a, a ROM 6b for storing a program for instructing a loading operation, and a transport pattern 10.
Is stored in the RAM. 6B is a computer 6
A loading command 7 and a transfer pattern designation command 8 are input through an I / O port connected to A, and signals to and from the robot 3 are input and output.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a transfer pattern between the pallets 5a and 5b to be stacked with the supply devices 1a and 1b. FIG. 3A
Is a pallet 5a with respect to the supply device 1a in the individual mode.
A transfer pattern fixed to the pallet 5b one-to-one with respect to the supply device 1b. FIG. 3B shows a pallet designation mode.
A transfer pattern to be stacked on the designated pallet 5a or pallet 5b from both the supply devices 1a and 1b.

FIG. 3C shows an alternate mode in which the supply devices 1a, 1
b, each time one article 2 is placed on the pallet 5a,
Or, a transfer pattern in which the articles 2 are stacked on the pallet 5b every time the stacking of the articles 2 is completed. FIG. 3D shows the distribution mode, in which the supply device 1a
Transfer patterns for distributing and stacking articles 2 supplied from the supply devices 1a and 1b to the pallets 5a and 5b, such as from the pallets 5a and 5b or from the supply devices 1b to the pallets 5a and 5b.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. When the loading command 7 is input in step S1, the control device 6 operates to proceed to step S2, where it is determined whether or not the transport pattern designation command 8 has been input. If it has been inputted, the process proceeds to step S3, and the feeding pattern stored in advance, that is, as shown in FIG.
The transport pattern specified by the loading command 7 is selected and set from the transport patterns between the a and 1b and the pallets 5a and 5b. In step S2, the transfer pattern designation command 8
If there is no input, the process jumps to step S4.

In step S4, the number of loads A is set to one. In step S5, the state of the peripheral device is determined according to the specified transfer pattern, and the control device 6 instructs the robot 3 to perform a loading operation. Thus, the robot 3 holds the article 2 with the handle 4 and loads the article 2 at the designated position. In step S6, it is determined whether the number A of loading is final. If not, 1 is added to the number A of loading in step S7, and the process returns to step S5.

Steps S5 to S7 are repeated, and if it is determined in step S6 that the number of loads A is final, that is, that the loading of the articles 2 by the loading command 7 has been completed, the loading for one loading command 7 is completed. The loading operation is completed, and waits for the next loading command 7. Here, steps S1 to S3 constitute a selection means, and step S5 constitutes a control means.

In this manner, the transfer pattern of the article 2 between the supply devices 1a, 1b and the pallets 5a, 5b is stored,
The transport pattern specified by the loading command 7 is selected from the transport patterns, and the loading operation is instructed to the industrial robot 3 in accordance with the transport pattern. Therefore, the supply devices 1a and 1b according to the production situation. And pallet 5
a and 5b can be used efficiently, and the operation efficiency and production efficiency of the automatic loading device can be improved.

Embodiment 2 5 to 8 are views showing an embodiment of the third and fourth inventions of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a partial view of the entire structure, a partial view of FIG. 1, FIG. 6 is a block diagram, and FIG.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the entire operation, and FIG. FIG. 3 is also used in the second embodiment.

5 and 6, reference numeral 11 denotes the control device 6.
A transfer pattern information input device connected to the I / O port 6B for generating a transfer pattern, and a transfer pattern generating unit 12 provided on the industrial robot 3 for generating a transfer pattern. Same as 1.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. A Overall Operation (FIG. 7) When the loading command 7 is input in step S1, the control device 6 operates to proceed to step S10, and the transport pattern information input device 11 creates a transport pattern. Steps S4 to S7 are the same as those in FIG.

B Transport Pattern Creation Operation (FIG. 8) Whether the transport pattern is to be changed in step S11 is determined by the loading command 7, and if it is to be changed, the process proceeds to step S12; otherwise, the process is terminated. In step S12, it is determined whether or not to perform the fixing operation. If the fixing operation is to be performed, the process proceeds to step S18, where the position commands of the pallets 5a and 5b corresponding to the respective supply devices 1a and 1b are received, and the transport stored in advance in step S19. From among the patterns, a transfer pattern corresponding to the positions of the pallets 5a and 5b is created, and the processing is terminated.

If the fixing operation is not performed in step S12, it is determined in step S13 whether the supply type of the article 2 and the number of the supply devices 1a and 1b have been input from the loading command 7, and if they have been input, the process proceeds to step S13. Proceed to S14, and terminate if not input. In step S14, it is determined whether the pallets 5a and 5b to be stacked and their numbers have been input,
If so, the process proceeds to step S15, and if not, the process ends.

In step S15, it is determined whether or not the pallet-unit stow order has been input. If it has been input, the process proceeds to step S16, and if not, the process ends. In step S16, it is determined whether the pallets 5a and 5b to be loaded are input every other pallet or when one pallet has been loaded. If so, step S17 is performed.
Proceed to, and if not entered, end. Then, in step S17, a transport pattern is created based on each data. Here, S10 constitutes a transport pattern creating means.

In this manner, the industrial robot 3 is instructed to perform a transport operation according to the production situation. Therefore, when the articles 2 are stacked, the supply devices 1a and 1b and the pallets 5a and 5b can be used efficiently, and the operation efficiency and production efficiency of the automatic loading device can be improved. The selection and change of the transport pattern and the input of information for creating the transport pattern may be instructed from an external device (such as a higher-level device).

[0027]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the transport pattern of the article between the supply device and the pallet is stored, and when a loading command is input, the load is selected from the stored transport patterns. The transport pattern specified by the loading command is selected, and the robot is instructed to perform a loading operation from the supply device to the pallet. In the second invention, the transport pattern is used to load articles from which supply device to which pallet. Since the specification is made, the supply device and the pallet can be used efficiently according to the production situation, and the operation efficiency and production efficiency of the automatic loading device can be improved.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when a loading command is input, the corresponding supply device and pallet are designated, and the order of pallet loading is designated to convey articles between the supply device and the pallet. A pattern is created and the robot is instructed to perform a loading operation from the supply device to the pallet. In the fourth invention, the transfer pattern information input device is installed in a higher-level device.
The supply device and the pallet can be used efficiently, and the operation efficiency and the production efficiency of the automatic loading device can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a transfer pattern showing the first and second embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart showing the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an overall configuration partial view showing Embodiment 2 of the present invention.・

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an overall operation flowchart showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a transfer pattern creation operation according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an overall configuration diagram showing a conventional automatic loading device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a, 1b supply device, 2 articles, 3 industrial robot, 4 handle, 5a, 5b pallet, 6 control device, 6c storage device (RAM), 7 loading command,
8 Transport pattern designation command, 10 Transport pattern,
11 transport pattern information input device, 12 transport pattern creating means, S1 to S3 selecting means, S5 control means, S10 transport pattern creating means.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of supply devices for supplying a plurality of articles, an industrial robot for gripping and stacking the articles supplied by the supply apparatus, and the articles installed near the industrial robot A plurality of pallets to be stacked, and a storage device for storing a transport pattern of the articles between the supply device and the pallets, wherein when a loading command is input, the stored transport patterns are stored in the storage device. And a control means for instructing the industrial robot to perform a loading operation from the supply device to the pallet in accordance with the selected transport pattern. Automatic loading equipment. 2. The automatic loading device according to claim 1, wherein the transport pattern specifies which pallet is to be loaded with articles from which supply device. 3. A plurality of supply devices for supplying a plurality of articles, an industrial robot for gripping and stacking the articles supplied by the supply apparatus, and the articles installed near the industrial robot. Has a plurality of pallets to be stacked, and, when a loading command is input, indicates the corresponding supply device and the corresponding pallet, and a transfer pattern information input device that indicates a stacking order of the pallet unit, Transport pattern creating means for creating a transport pattern of the article between the corresponding supply device and the pallet by an input from the transport pattern information input device; and a transfer pattern from the corresponding supply device to the pallet according to the created transport pattern. An automatic loading device comprising: a control unit that commands a loading operation to the industrial robot. 4. The automatic loading device according to claim 3, wherein the transport pattern information input device is installed in a host device.