JP2000168950A - Work conveyer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the number of drive motors, reduction gears and the like so as to downsize a conveyer and reduce cost, by realizing both functions of the conveyance to a prescribed position and the turning of a table using a common drive motor. SOLUTION: This conveyer conducts traveling and turning for a table 6, and conveys thereby a work 5 mounted on the table 6 to a prescribed position to set it in a prescribed attitude. The conveyer is provided with a conveying frame 7 provided to be linked to the prescribed position, a traveling mechanism comprising a feeder gear 16, a case member 14a and the like capable of traveling along the frame 7, and a turning mechanism comprising an output shaft 14c for turning the table 6 at an optional angle, the first table gear 17 and the like.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a work transfer device for transferring a work placed on a table to a predetermined position and setting the work in a predetermined posture.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a processing line such as a painting line or a welding line in which a work robot performs a predetermined process on a work, usually, a position between a work placement position by a worker or the like and a work position by a work robot is determined. A work transfer device that transfers the work is provided, and when the work is transferred to the work position by the work transfer device, the work robot operates as pre-teached to perform work such as painting or welding on the work. It has become. Also, when trying to improve the efficiency and quality of processing work in the processing line,
It is desirable that the work robot and the work be set in a fixed positional relationship, or that the posture of the work be changed in synchronization with the operation of the work robot.

[0003] Therefore, a work transfer device used in the above-mentioned processing line has conventionally been, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-287.
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 59-59, there is a transport mechanism for transporting a table to a work position, and a rotary mechanism capable of rotating the table at an arbitrary angle at the work position, and The work table is transferred from the mounting position to the work position by the transfer mechanism, and when the work position is reached, the table is turned by the turning mechanism to set the work to a predetermined posture with respect to the work robot. Has become.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, since the transport mechanism and the rotating mechanism are arranged at independent positions, it is necessary to provide each mechanism with a drive source such as a motor. In addition, it is necessary to provide a speed reducer for obtaining an optimum driving force from the driving source and a detector for detecting the operating state of the driving source. Therefore, the transfer mechanism and the rotation mechanism are increased in size in order to secure a mounting space for each device, and the component cost is increased by each device, so that the work transfer device itself is increased in size and cost. is there.

Accordingly, the present invention reduces the number of driving sources, reduction gears, detectors, and the like by realizing the functions of transport between the mounting position and the working position and rotating the table with a common driving source. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a work transfer device capable of reducing the size and cost of the device.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention conveys a work placed on the table to a predetermined position by moving and rotating the table. A track mechanism provided to communicate with the predetermined position, a traveling mechanism capable of traveling along the track means, and a rotating mechanism capable of rotating the table at an arbitrary angle. A transfer device body including a driving source shared by the driving of the traveling mechanism and the rotating mechanism, and a switching unit for switching between a traveling state of the traveling mechanism and a rotatable state of the rotating mechanism. It is characterized by having.

According to the above configuration, since the transport mechanism and the rotating mechanism are provided in the transport device main body, the transport mechanism is caused to travel along the track means by the travel mechanism, and the work placed on the table. Even if is transported, the rotating mechanism for rotating the table moves together with the traveling mechanism. Therefore, since the rotating mechanism and the traveling mechanism are always in a fixed positional relationship, the rotating mechanism and the traveling mechanism are connected to one drive source, and the traveling state of the traveling mechanism and the rotating mechanism are switched by the switching means. By switching between the rotatable state and the rotatable state, the driving source can be shared by the rotating mechanism and the traveling mechanism. Thus, it is not necessary to provide a drive source for each mechanism as in the conventional configuration in which the rotating mechanism and the traveling mechanism are arranged at different positions, and therefore, the drive source and the speed reducer and the detector attached to the drive source are not required. It is possible to reduce the number of components and the like, and as a result, it is possible to reduce the space for mounting components and the cost of components, and to reduce the size and cost of the work transfer device.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, the work transfer device according to the present embodiment includes a pair of transfer lines 2 arranged on the left and right around a work robot 1 for painting or the like having a plurality of degrees of freedom. Line 2
2 and a control device 3 for controlling the work robot 1. Each transfer line 2 communicates between a placement position A where the worker 4 attaches and detaches the work 5 to and from the table 6 and a work position B where the work robot 1 performs a processing work such as painting on the work 5. It has a transfer frame 7 (track means). Further, a pressing switch 26 is provided near the mounting position A, and the pressing switch 26 outputs a mounting signal f when the operator 4 presses.

The mounting position A on the transport frame 7
At the work position B, a main body detector (not shown) that detects the transport device main body 10 and outputs a main body detection signal h · g is provided. Also, one side wall surface 7 of the transport frame 7
As shown in FIG. 1, a is provided with a rail 8 (track means) and a rack 9 (track means). The rail 8 and the rack 9 are arranged in parallel from the mounting position A to the working position B in FIG.
0 support member 11 is movably engaged.

The main body 10 has a support case 12 joined to a support member 11. Support case 12
The first support portion 12a is provided horizontally in the horizontal direction from the support member 11, the first support portion 12a has an upright portion 12b rising upward from an end of the first support portion 12a, and the first support portion 12b has a first Second support portion 12 bent to face support portion 12a
c. On the upper surface of the first support portion 12a, a cylindrical annular projecting portion 12d is formed,
A through hole 12e is formed in the second support portion 12c.

On the lower surface of the first supporting portion 12a, a rotating shaft 13 is provided at a speed and a rotating direction corresponding to the motor control signal e.
A drive motor 13 for rotating a is fixedly provided. The drive motor 13 has the rotary shaft 13a inserted through the center of the annular protruding portion 12d, and incorporates an angle detector such as an encoder that detects the rotation angle of the rotation shaft 13a and outputs it as a rotation angle signal d. are doing. The upper end of the rotating shaft 13a is connected to the input gear 14b of the speed reducer 14. The speed reducer 14 includes a cylindrical case member 14a (running mechanism), an input gear 14b and an output shaft 14c (rotating mechanism) provided in the case member 14a, and the input gear 14b is driven to rotate. When
One of the case member 14a and the output shaft 14c is rotated while being decelerated. As the speed reducer 14, a planetary speed reducer, an RV speed reducer, a harmonic speed reducer, or the like can be used.

A bearing 15 is provided on the peripheral surface of the case member 14a. The bearing 15 is rotatably supported by fixing the case member 14a in the up-down direction by being fitted to the inner wall surface of the annular projecting portion 12d. Further, the feeder gear 1 is located above the annular projecting portion 12d on the peripheral surface of the case member 14a.
6 (running mechanism) is fixed, and the feeder gear 16
Is engaged with the rack 9 so as to convert the rotational movement of the case member 14a into a running movement along the rail 8.

On the other hand, a first table gear 17 (rotating mechanism) is provided at the tip of the output shaft 14c. First
The table gear 17 is meshed with a second table gear 18 (rotating mechanism), and the table 6 is provided at the center of rotation of the second table gear 18 via a support member 19. Further, a first drive switching plate 20 and a second drive switching plate 21 are provided on the peripheral surface of the output shaft 14c and the peripheral surface of the case member 14a, respectively. FIGS. 3A and 3B show the first drive switching plate 20 and the second drive switching plate 21.
As shown in FIG. 3, the first drive switching plate 20 is formed in a curved concave shape on the peripheral surface of the first drive switching plate 20. On the other hand, on the peripheral surface of the second drive switching plate 21, a pair of fitting portions 21a and 21b are formed in a curved concave shape, and both fitting portions 21a and 21b are arranged at positions opposed by 180 degrees. I have.

As shown in FIG. 1, a drive switching device 22 is provided beside the first drive switching plate 20 and the second drive switching plate 21. The drive switching device 22 has a rotation drive member 23 fixed to the second support portion 12c of the support case 12. The rotation driving member 23 is provided with a cylindrical rod member 24 so as to be rotatable.
Numeral 4 rotates when the switching signal c is input to the rotation driving member 23.

The above-mentioned rod-shaped member 24 is suspended from the vicinity of the upper surface of the feeder gear 16 after being inserted through the through hole 12e, and the first drive switching plate 20 and the second drive switching plate 2
A first cutout portion 24a and a second cutout portion 24b are respectively formed on the side surface corresponding to the disposition position of No. 1 so as to have a semicircular cross section. These notches 24a and 24
b indicates that the drive switching plate 20
The bar-shaped member 24 is formed by cutting out half of the bar-shaped member 24 with a length larger than the plate thickness of the bar-shaped member 21. And the rod-shaped member 2
4 is separated from the drive switching plates 20 and 21 when the cutout portions 24a and 24b are located on the drive switching plates 20 and 21 side, while the cutout portions 24a and 24b are located on the opposite side of the drive switching plates 20 and 21. Sometimes, the fitting portion 2 of the drive switching plates 20 and 21
0a, 21a, and 21b.

Further, the rod-shaped member 2 is
A first detector 25a and a second detector 25b for detecting the rotation state of the fourth motor 4 are provided. As shown in FIG. 3A, the first detector 25a is configured such that the rod-shaped member 24 fits into the fitting portion 20a of the first drive switching plate 20 and the second drive switching plate 2
A running permission signal a when the vehicle is in a rotating state separated from
Is output. On the other hand, the second detector 25b
As shown in FIG. 3B, when the rod-shaped member 24 is separated from the first drive switching plate 20 and is in a rotating state fitted to the fitting portions 21a and 21b of the second drive switching plate 21. Is output.

The transport line 2 provided with the transport device main body 10 and the transport frame 7 as described above is connected to the control device 3 as shown in FIG. The control device 3 is configured to input and output the various signals a to f described above to and from each transport line 2 and to output a robot control signal i to the work robot 1. And
The control device 3 controls the respective transport lines 2 by executing the transport control routine of FIG. 4 while inputting and outputting these signals a to i.

In the above configuration, the operation of the work transfer device will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, when the worker 4 places the work 5 on the table 6 while positioning it, and then presses the push switch 26, the placement signal f is output from the push switch 26 to the control device 3. At this time, the control device 3 determines whether or not the work 5 is placed on the table 6 by confirming the presence or absence of the placement signal f and the main body detection signal g on the placement position A side (S1). ). That is, the control device 3 monitors the placement signal f, and when recognizing that the worker 4 has pressed the push switch 26 based on the placement signal f, to confirm that the recognition of the press is not an error, It is determined whether or not the table 6 (transfer device main body 10) actually exists at the mounting position A based on the main body detection signal g on the mounting position A side. When it is determined that the work 5 is not placed on the table 6 based on both signals g and h (S1, NO), S1 is executed again, and the process is repeated until the input of both signals g and h is confirmed. .

On the other hand, when it is determined that the work 5 is placed on the table 6 (S1, YES), a switching signal c is output to the drive switching device 22, as shown in FIG. The bar 23 is rotated by the member 23. Then, when the travel permission signal a is input from the second detector 25b, it is determined that the drive switching device 22 has been set to the travel permission state (rotation inhibition state), and the rotation of the rod-shaped member 24 is stopped ( S2).

When the drive switching device 22 is set to the traveling permission state, a motor control signal e is output to the drive motor 13 and
The drive motor 13 is rotated forward. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3A, the rod-shaped member 24 prohibits the rotation of the first drive switching plate 20 by fitting into the fitting portion 20a of the first drive switching plate 20. Further, the rod-shaped member 24 allows the second drive switching plate 21 to rotate by causing the second cutout portion 24b to face the second drive switching plate 21 and to be separated from the second drive switching plate 21. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, when the drive motor 13 rotates forward, the output shaft 14c connected to the first drive switching plate 20 is in a fixed state, so that the output shaft 14c is connected to the second drive switching plate 21. Case member 14a
Rotates while decelerating. Thereby, the case member 14
When the feeder gear 16 meshed with the rack 9 rotates together with the rotation a, the transport device main body 10 travels in the work position B direction to transport the work 5 (S3).

When the transport of the work 5 is started as described above, it is determined whether or not the transfer apparatus main body 10 has reached the work position B by monitoring the main body detection signal h from the work position B (S4). ). If the main body detection signal h is not input (S4, NO), it is determined that the work 5 is being transported, and S4 is repeated. Then, when it is determined that the transfer apparatus main body 10 has reached the work position B by the input of the main body detection signal h (S4, YES), a motor control signal e is output to the drive motor 13 to stop the drive motor 13 so that the work is stopped. 5 is completed (S5).

Next, a switching signal c is output to the drive switching device 22, and the rod-shaped member 24 is rotated by the rotation driving member 23. When the rotation permission signal b is input from the first detector 25a, it is determined that the drive switching device 22 has been set to the rotation permission state (running prohibited state), and the rotation of the rod-shaped member 24 is stopped. (S6).

When the drive switching device 22 is set to the rotation permission state, a motor control signal e is output to the drive motor 13 and
The drive motor 13 is rotated in the forward or reverse direction. At this time, as shown in FIG.
The notch 24a is opposed to the first drive switching plate 20 and is separated from the first drive switching plate 20 so that the first drive switching plate 2
Zero rotation is permitted. Further, the rod-shaped member 24 is
The rotation of the second drive switching plate 21 is prohibited by fitting into one of the fitting portions 21a and 21b of the drive switching plate 21. Therefore, when the drive motor 13 rotates, the case member 14a connected to the second drive switching plate 21 is in a fixed state, so that the output shaft 14c connected to the first drive switching plate 20 is decelerated. Rotate. As a result, the first table gear 17 provided on the output shaft 14c rotates, so that the table 6 rotates via the second table gear 18.

When the table 6 is rotated as described above, the rotation angle signal d from the drive motor 13 is taken in, and the number of rotations and the rotation angle of the rotation shaft 13a are detected. Ask for. Then, when the table 6 reaches a predetermined rotation angle, the drive motor 13 is stopped, and the work 5 placed on the table 6 is set to a predetermined posture with respect to the work robot 1 (S7).

Next, after the processing operation is performed by outputting the robot control signal i to the work robot 1, it waits until the processing operation is completed (S8). When the operation is completed, the work 5 is returned to the original posture. The output shaft 14c is rotated so as to return to. Thereafter, a switching signal c is output to the drive switching device 22, and the rod-shaped member 24 is rotated by the rotation driving member 23,
When the traveling permission signal a is input from the second detector 25b, the drive switching device 22 is in a traveling permitted state (rotation prohibited state).
And the rotation by the rotation driving member 23 is stopped (S9).

Thereafter, the motor control signal e is transmitted to the drive motor 1
3 and the drive motor 13 is rotated in the reverse direction to rotate the feeder gear 16 meshed with the rack 9 together with the case member 14a. And the transport device body 1
0 travels in the direction of the mounting position A to transport the processed work 5 (S10), and the main body detection signal h from the mounting position A is monitored, so that the transfer device main body 10 reaches the mounting position A. It is determined whether or not (S11). If the main body detection signal h is not input (S11, NO), it is determined that the work 5 is being transported, and S11 is repeated. On the other hand, when it is determined that the transfer device main body 10 has reached the mounting position A by the input of the main body detection signal h (S11, YES), the drive motor 1
The transport of the work 5 is completed by stopping the work 3 (S12).

As described above, the work transfer device of the present embodiment is configured to transfer the work placed on the table to a predetermined position by moving and rotating the table to set the work in a predetermined posture. A track mechanism provided so as to communicate with a predetermined position, a traveling mechanism (case member 14a, feeder gear 16) capable of traveling along the track means, and a rotating mechanism capable of rotating the table at an arbitrary angle Mechanism (second table gear 18, first table gear 17, output shaft 14)
c), a driving source (drive motor 13) shared by the driving of the traveling mechanism and the rotating mechanism, and a switching means (driving means for switching between a traveling state of the traveling mechanism and a rotatable state of the rotating mechanism. Transfer device main body 10 provided with switching device 22)
And a configuration having:

As a result, since the rotating mechanism and the traveling mechanism are always in a fixed positional relationship, the rotating mechanism and the traveling mechanism are connected to one drive motor 13 so that the traveling state of the traveling mechanism and the rotating state are changed. By switching between the rotatable state of the moving mechanism and the drive switching device 22, the drive motor 13 can be shared by the rotating mechanism and the traveling mechanism. Therefore, unlike the conventional configuration in which the rotating mechanism and the traveling mechanism are disposed at different positions, it is not necessary to provide the drive motors 13 for the respective mechanisms.
It becomes possible to reduce the number of components such as the speed reducer and the detector attached to the device 3, and as a result, it is possible to reduce the mounting space of the components and the cost of the components, thereby reducing the size and cost of the work transfer device.

[0029]

According to the present invention, a work placed on a table is conveyed to a predetermined position and set to a predetermined posture by moving and rotating the table. And a traveling mechanism capable of traveling along the track means, a rotating mechanism capable of rotating the table at an arbitrary angle, and commonly used for driving the traveling mechanism and the rotating mechanism. And a transfer device main body including a driving source to be driven and a switching means for switching between a state in which the traveling mechanism can travel and a state in which the rotating mechanism can rotate.

According to the above configuration, since the traveling mechanism and the rotating mechanism are provided in the transporting device main body, the transporting device main body is caused to travel along the track means by the traveling mechanism and the work placed on the table. Even if is transported, the rotating mechanism for rotating the table moves together with the traveling mechanism. Therefore, since the rotating mechanism and the traveling mechanism are always in a fixed positional relationship, the rotating mechanism and the traveling mechanism are connected to one drive source, and the traveling state of the traveling mechanism and the rotating mechanism are switched by the switching means. By switching between the rotatable state and the rotatable state, the driving source can be shared by the rotating mechanism and the traveling mechanism. Thus, it is not necessary to provide a drive source for each mechanism as in the conventional configuration in which the rotating mechanism and the traveling mechanism are arranged at different positions, and therefore, the drive source and the speed reducer and the detector attached to the drive source are not required. Thus, it is possible to reduce the space for mounting the components and the cost of the components, thereby achieving a reduction in the size and cost of the work transfer device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a transfer device main body.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an arrangement state of a transport line.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a drive switching plate is fixed by a rod-shaped member.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a transport control routine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 work robot 2 transfer line 3 control device 4 worker 5 work 6 table 7 transfer frame 8 rail 9 rack 10 transfer device body 11 support member 12 support case 13 drive motor 14 reduction gear 14a case member 14b input gear 14c output shaft 15 bearing Reference Signs List 16 feeder gear 17 first table gear 18 second table gear 19 support member 20 first drive switching plate 21 second drive switching plate 22 drive switching device 23 rotation drive member 24 rod-shaped member 26 press switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A work transfer device that moves a work placed on a table to a predetermined position by moving and rotating the table, and sets the work in a predetermined posture. Provided track means; a traveling mechanism capable of traveling along the track means; a rotating mechanism capable of rotating the table at an arbitrary angle; and a drive commonly used for driving the traveling mechanism and the rotating mechanism. A work transfer device, comprising: a source; and a transfer device main body including a switching unit configured to switch between a state in which the travel mechanism can run and a state in which the rotation mechanism can rotate.