JP2001146970A - O-ring supplying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an O-ring supplying device capable of separting O-rings from one another while the quality is well maintained. SOLUTION: The O-ring supplying device is to supply O-rings 100 set on a magazine shaft 1 separately, wherein a major diametric portion 14 greater than the inside diameter of the O-ring 100 is formed at the tip of the magazine shaft 1 while a minor diametric portion 12 smaller than the inside diameter of the O-ring 100 is formed below the major diametric portion. A ring-shaped lifter 20 is put on the magazine shaft 1, and O-rings 100 are placed on the lifter. Using an elevating/sinking plate 36, all set O-rings are raised through the lifter 20, and when the uppermost O-ring 100 is fitted on the major diametric portion 14, the lifter 20 is sunk. Thus the separation can be made by simple structure with all O-rings but the uppermost dropping, and there is no risk to damage the uppermost O-ring 100, etc.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an O-ring supply device for separately supplying O-rings.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in hydraulic and pneumatic equipment, an O-ring is frequently used as a part for sealing a passage of a working fluid and the like. , The O-rings need to be supplied individually as well as the other parts. In order to satisfy such a requirement, for example, a plurality of O-rings may be arranged in a plane in advance, and these may be individually suctioned by a negative pressure using a predetermined tool and sequentially moved (supplied) to the work. ,
If a plurality of O-rings are arranged and supplied in a plane, space efficiency is poor.

For this reason, for example, the following devices have been considered. That is, a rod-shaped magazine shaft whose outer diameter is set slightly larger than the inner diameter of the O-ring is prepared,
A plurality of O-rings are stacked and extrapolated on the magazine shaft, and are pushed up from below using a predetermined pushing-up mechanism, so that the uppermost O-ring is always controlled to a predetermined position.
Further, a separating claw having a forked tip is provided. When supplying the O-ring, the separating claw is moved from the side toward the magazine shaft and inserted between the uppermost O-ring and the second O-ring. In this state, the uppermost O-ring is separated from the second and lower O-rings by moving the separation claw upward. Then, after the separated O-ring is sent to the work by another device, the remaining O-ring is pushed up again, and all the O-rings remaining on the magazine shaft are removed.
The above operation is repeated until the ring disappears.

[0004]

However, in the above-described apparatus, the uppermost O-ring and the second-stage O-ring are always in close contact with each other. There was a concern that both or one of the O-rings that were in close contact with each other would be scratched by the separation claw, thereby deteriorating the quality of the O-ring.

The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and has as its object to provide an O-ring supply device capable of separating a plurality of O-rings individually while ensuring quality.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an O-ring supplying apparatus for supplying an O-ring, wherein an outer diameter is set smaller than an inner diameter of the O-ring. At the upper end of a small-diameter portion where a plurality of O-rings are extrapolated, a large-diameter portion whose outer diameter is set larger than the inner diameter of the O-ring is continuously formed via a tapered portion. Push-up means for supporting the lowermost O-ring extrapolated to the small-diameter portion, and using the push-up means to extrapolate the uppermost O-ring extrapolated to the small-diameter portion of the magazine shaft to the large-diameter portion. And an elevating mechanism that moves up and down to a standby position below the extrapolated position.

In this configuration, when the lifting means is raised, a plurality of Os extrapolated to the small diameter portion of the magazine shaft are provided.
When the ring rises and the push-up means reaches the extrapolated position, the uppermost O-ring is extrapolated to the large diameter portion of the magazine shaft. When the lifting means descends to the standby position from this state, the other O-rings except the uppermost O-ring descend by their own weight together with the lifting means and separate from the uppermost O-ring, and only the uppermost O-ring has a large diameter. It remains in the part and is separated from other O-rings. That is, the O-ring to be supplied can be separated from other O-rings only by raising and lowering the lifting means by the lifting mechanism.

According to the invention of claim 2, a plurality of notches extending downward from the upper end are provided in the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion of the magazine shaft in the circumferential direction, while the large diameter portion is provided in the large diameter portion. An extraction mechanism for extracting an externally inserted O-ring from an upper end, wherein the extraction mechanism engages with a cross section of the O-ring, each end of which is inserted into a plurality of the notches and crosses each of the notches. And a plurality of engaging members operating at a position and a non-engaging position separated from the transverse portion thereof.

In such a configuration, the separated uppermost stage O
Since the ring is extracted from the magazine shaft while being held by the plurality of engagement members, the degree of twisting of the O-ring when the ring is extracted from the magazine shaft is extremely small. Also, if oil is attached to the surface of the O-ring, it is not removed.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main part showing an O-ring supply device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view.

This O-ring supply device is installed on an assembly line of solenoid valves and sequentially supplies O-rings to works on the line.
, An elevating mechanism 3 for individually separating a plurality of O-rings set on each magazine shaft 1, and an O-ring insertion device 4. The turntable 2 is controlled so as to rotate about the rotation shaft 5 and to move the plurality of magazine shafts 1 to the pickup location sequentially.

Each magazine shaft 1 has a turntable 2
FIG. 3 shows a rod-shaped member detachably attached to
As shown in FIG. 1, the mounting portion 11 has an attachment portion 11 that is fitted and fixed in the turntable 2, a small-diameter portion 12 having a smaller diameter than the attachment portion 11, and a large-diameter portion 14 connected to the small-diameter portion 12 via a tapered portion 13. are doing. The outer diameter of the small diameter portion 12 is set slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the O-ring 100. A ring-shaped lifter 20 and a plurality of O-rings 100 are sequentially extrapolated from the large-diameter portion 14 side (upper end) to the small-diameter portion 12.
Is supported by the upper end (step portion) of the mounting portion 11, and
On the upper part of the lifter 20, a plurality of O-rings 100 are supported in a stacked state. The lifter 20 is a push-up means according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the upper peripheral surface of a metal cylindrical member is cut inward, and a thin small-diameter portion 20a is formed at the upper end thereof. It is.

An annular groove 15 is formed at the lower end of the small diameter portion 12 of each magazine shaft 1 in contact with the mounting portion 11. Further, a vertically elongated lower sensor hole 16 extending upward from the annular groove 15 is provided at a lower end portion of the small diameter portion 12 so as to penetrate therethrough, and each magazine shaft 1 matches the penetration direction of the lower sensor hole 16. Then, it is fixed to the turntable 2. The upper end position of the lower sensor hole 16 is set at a position above the upper surface of the lifter 20 and hidden by the lowest O-ring 100 supported by the lifter 20. Thus, depending on the presence or absence of light passing through the lower sensor hole 16, the presence or absence of the O-ring 100 remaining in the small-diameter portion 12 is determined by the lower sensor 2 disposed on the outer periphery of the turntable 2.
1 (see FIG. 1).

On the other hand, the upper end portion of the magazine shaft 1, that is, the large diameter portion 14 is formed in a cylindrical shape by providing a working hole 17 having a depth reaching from the upper end surface 1 a of each magazine shaft 1 to the inside of the small diameter portion 12. The slit 18 extending from the upper end surface 1a to the area on the small diameter portion 12 side is
It is divided into three by being provided at every 0 degree.
The slit 18 corresponds to a notch of the present invention.
Further, the magazine shaft 1 is provided with a vertically elongated upper sensor hole 19 whose lower end position coincides with the lower end position of the slit 18 from the large diameter portion 14 to the small diameter portion 12. The presence or absence of the light passing through the upper sensor hole 19 allows the upper sensor (not shown) to detect the presence or absence of the O-ring 100 in the large diameter portion 14.

The elevating mechanism 3 has an elevating unit 33 which moves up and down via a servo slider 32 using the air cylinder 31 as an actuator. The elevating unit 33 includes a movable angle 35 that slides between a position (shown) close to the turntable 2 by a small air cylinder 34 provided in a horizontal direction, a position separated from the turntable 2, and a movable angle 35. Lifting plate 3 fixed to
6. The elevating plate 36 extends to the turntable 2 side, and as shown in FIG. 5, an approximately half opening at the tip of the elevating plate 36 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the mounting portion 11 of the magazine shaft 1 described above. A pair of support claws 37, 37 forming a circular opening 36a are formed. When the elevating unit 33 is in the operating position close to the turntable 2, the elevating plate 36 is configured to hold the pair of support claws 37, 3.
The tip portion 7 is loosely fitted to the mounting portion 11 of the magazine shaft 1 with a slight distance below the lifter 20. Thereby, in the elevating mechanism section 3, the lifter 20 which is fitted to the small diameter portion 12 of the magazine shaft 1 at the pickup position is moved from the standby position shown in FIG. The small diameter portion 20a can be moved to any position up to the extrapolation position where the small diameter portion 20a reaches the large diameter portion 14 of the magazine shaft 1.

On the other hand, the O-ring insertion device 4 realizes the extraction mechanism of the present invention, and includes a guide rail 41 provided between the turntable 2 and the lifting mechanism 3.
The movable support portion 42 is supported by the movable support portion 42 and moves in the horizontal direction, and the hanging support portion 43 supported by the movable support portion 42 and slid in the vertical direction. A pick-up for removing the O-rings 100 individually separated by the respective magazine shafts 1 from the upper ends thereof by a procedure to be described later, and inserting the extracted O-rings into a work on the line is provided on the suspension support portion 43. The tool 44 is supported in a suspended state via a position adjusting unit 45.

As shown in FIG. 6, the pick-up tool 44 has a side U-shaped support block 46 supported by a position adjusting section 45. At the lower end of the support block 46, a solid guide member 48 having a tapered projection 47 formed on the lower end side is fixed. On the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 47, three thin leaf springs 49 arranged at intervals of 120 degrees in the circumferential direction are fixed by screws. Each leaf spring 49
Extends downward from the protruding portion 47 with the front end side inclined inward, and engagement members 50 made of an elongated hard material are fixed to the front end side, respectively. Each engagement member 50
The lower ends of the magazine shafts 1 are spaced apart so that they can be inserted into the work holes 17 opened in the upper end surface 1a of each magazine shaft 1 described above.
It is bent in the shape of a letter.

Further, inside the guide member 48, a pickup tool 44 which can be adjusted by the position adjusting section 45 is provided.
A push rod 51 is supported slidably up and down along the center of suspension. The push rod 51 is accommodated in a sleeve 52 fitted inside the guide member 48 from the inside of the support block 46, and is urged upward by a coil spring 53 fitted inside the sleeve 52. The upper end of the push rod 51 is connected to a press-down cylinder 55 via a connecting member 54, and can be pressed down by the press-down cylinder 55 as necessary.

At the lower end of the push rod 51,
Small-diameter portion 5 internally fitted in said projecting portion 47 of guide member 48
6 are integrally formed. The distal end of the small diameter portion 56 is exposed from the lower end of the projecting portion 47.
As the push rod 51 is pushed down, the abutment-shaped opening / closing piece 57 for displacing the three engaging members 50 held via the leaf spring 49 outward.
Is provided. A proximity sensor 58 for detecting that the push rod 51 has been pushed down to the lower end position is provided on the upper peripheral surface of the push rod 51.

Next, in the present embodiment having the above configuration, a plurality of O-rings 100 are provided on each magazine shaft 1.
When the O-ring 100 is supplied to a workpiece on a line (not shown) in a state where is set, an operation will be described.

That is, when the turntable 2 is rotated in a predetermined direction and one of the magazine shafts 1 is moved to the pickup position, the lifting plate 36 is moved to the magazine shaft 1.
Then, it moves to the above-described operating position, and its tip is loosely fitted to the magazine shaft 1 (see FIG. 3). Then, the elevating plate 36 is raised, and the plurality of O-rings 100a to 100d... Are pushed upward through the lifter 20 (FIG. 6).
(A)). Eventually, when the lifter 20 reaches a predetermined extrapolation position and the uppermost O-ring 100a goes over the tapered portion 13 and is extrapolated to the large diameter portion 14 of the magazine shaft 1 (FIG. 6).
(B)), the light passing through the upper sensor hole 19 is blocked by the uppermost O-ring 100a, and is detected by the upper sensor (not shown). Note that the extrapolated position of the lifter 20 described above corresponds to the O remaining on the magazine shaft 1.
It fluctuates up and down in accordance with the number of rings, and becomes lower when the number of remaining O-rings in the magazine shaft 1 is large, and conversely increases when the number of remaining O-rings is small.

When it is detected that the uppermost O-ring 100a is extrapolated to the large-diameter portion 14, the elevating plate 36 immediately stops ascending and descends to the standby position described above. Accordingly, in the magazine shaft 1,
The second stage O-ring 10 excluding the top stage O-ring 100a
All the O-rings 100c, 100d,...
00a, only the uppermost O-ring 100a remains in the large diameter portion 14 (see FIG. 6C). That is, the O-ring 100a at the top is replaced with the other O-rings 100b, 100b.
c, 100d...

Here, in the above operation, the lifting plate 3
6, the uppermost O-ring 100a can be separated only by raising and lowering the lifter 20, so that there is no possibility that the uppermost O-ring 100a and the second O-ring 100b are flawed at the time of separation. Therefore, when supplying the O-ring 100, the O-ring 100 can be individually separated while ensuring the quality. Further, the O-ring 100a at the uppermost stage can be separated with a simple structure that only raises and lowers the lifter 20, and the cost of the apparatus can be reduced.

On the other hand, as described above, the uppermost O-ring 10
When Oa is separated, the O-ring insertion device 4 operates in conjunction with this as follows. That is, the O-ring insertion device 4 moves the above-described pickup tool 44 directly above the magazine shaft 1 along the guide rail 41, and then lowers it to a predetermined position. As a result, the engagement members 50 are inserted into the work holes 17 of the magazine shaft 1 (see FIG. 6D). Continued
The push rod 51 is pushed down, and the three engaging members 50 are displaced outward by the opening and closing
To the slit 18 of the magazine shaft 1 (large-diameter portion 14).
Section A of the O-ring 100a (FIG. 6C)
(Indicated by hatching in FIG. 3) from the inside. The position of each engagement member 50 at this time is the engagement position in the present invention. Thereafter, by raising the pickup tool 44, the crossing portion A of the O-ring 100a is hooked by the tip of each engaging member 50, and is pulled out to the upper end side of the magazine shaft 1;
The O-ring 100a is held in a state of being supported at three points by the tip of the O-ring 100a. After that, the pick-up tool 44 is moved again along the guide rail 41 in this state, and the O-ring 100a is inserted into a predetermined position of the work on the line by a procedure reverse to the above.

When the O-ring 100a is removed from the magazine shaft 1 while being supported at three points, the O-ring 100a is not twisted. Therefore, the separated O-ring 100
a can be supplied to the work on the line in a favorable state, and the assembling work of the O-ring 100a to the work can be reliably performed. O-ring 100a
Even if lubricating oil or the like is previously attached to the surface of the workpiece, it will not be removed at the time of the extracting operation, and the separated O-ring 100a can be removed from the work on the line in a good state. Can be supplied to

In the present embodiment, while the above-described supply operation is repeated, the last O-ring is extracted from the magazine shaft 1 at the pickup position, and when it is detected by the lower sensor 21, the lifting plate 36 Is separated from the turntable 2 and the magazine shaft 1
After the engagement state is released, the rotation of the turntable 2 moves the next magazine shaft 1 to the pickup location. Then, the above-described operation is repeatedly performed.

In this embodiment, each engagement member 50 of the pickup tool 44 is shown to be engaged with the O-ring 100 from the inside, but each engagement member 50 is engaged with the O-ring 100 from the outside. It is good also as composition which combines. In this case, the large diameter portion 14 of the magazine shaft 1 does not need to be formed in a cylindrical shape, and the slit 18 described above is formed in the large diameter portion 1.
4 may be simply grooves on the outer peripheral surface. However, the operation of the push rod 51 for opening and closing the three engagement members 50 is opposite to that described above. Regarding this point, when each of the engagement members 50 is engaged with the O-ring 100 from the inside as in the present embodiment, the O-ring 100 is There is no fear that the O-ring 100 will come off from the joining member 50, and the extracted O-ring 100 can be held more reliably.

In this embodiment, the lifter 2
In the O-ring supply device having only one magazine shaft 1, for example, the elevating plate 36 is always set to the magazine shaft. 1, the O-ring 100 may be pushed up by only the elevating plate 36, that is, the elevating plate 36 may be used as an elevating means. In addition, the standby position of the lifter 20 is set to the position on the mounting portion 11 of the magazine shaft 1. However, the position may be lower than the extrapolation position to some extent, and the standby position may be the same as the extrapolation position. O remaining in
It may be moved up and down in accordance with the number of rings 100. Also,
As a method of moving the lifter 20 to the standby position, the lifter 20 may be dropped by its own weight together with the remaining O-ring 100 by separating the lift plate 36 from the magazine shaft 1.

Further, in the present embodiment, the number of the engagement members 50 provided on the pickup tool 44 is three, but, for example, the number may be two or four. In addition, if the shape of the engaging member 50 is such that the O-ring 100 can be engaged with the O-ring 100 from inside or outside and can be pulled up,
The shape may be other than that shown in the present embodiment.

[0030]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the uppermost O-ring to be supplied can be separated from other O-rings only by raising and lowering the lifting means by the lifting mechanism. Therefore, there is no possibility that the uppermost O-ring and other O-rings in contact with the uppermost O-ring at the time of separation are flawed. Therefore, when supplying the O-ring,
O-rings can be individually separated while ensuring quality. Further, the uppermost O-ring can be separated with a simple structure, and the cost of the apparatus can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the degree of twisting of the O-ring when the separated uppermost O-ring is removed from the magazine shaft is extremely small, and when oil is attached to the surface, It was never removed. Therefore, the separated O-ring can be supplied in a favorable state, and the work of assembling the O-ring to the work can be reliably performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main part of an O-ring supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the O-ring supply device.

FIG. 3A is a plan view showing a magazine shaft,
(B) is a front view.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a pushing means.

5A is a plan view and FIG. 5B is a front view showing the push-up arm.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a main part of the O-ring insertion device.

FIG. 7 is a schematic explanatory view showing a supply procedure of an O-ring.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Magazine shaft 2 Turntable 3 Separation mechanism part 4 O-ring insertion machine device 12 Small diameter part 13 Large diameter part 14 Taper part 16 Working hole 18 Slit 20 Lifter 36 Lifting plate 44 Pickup tool 50 Engaging member 51 Push rod 100 O-ring A Cross section (of O-ring)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An O-ring supply device for supplying an O-ring, wherein the outer diameter is set smaller than the inner diameter of the O-ring, and the outer diameter is set at the upper end of a small-diameter portion into which a plurality of O-rings are extrapolated. A rod-shaped magazine shaft in which a large-diameter portion set to be larger than that is continuously formed via a tapered portion, and a lower O portion extrapolated to the small-diameter portion of the magazine shaft
A push-up means for supporting a ring; and an extrapolation position at which the upper-stage O-ring extrapolated to the small-diameter portion of the magazine shaft is extrapolated to the large-diameter portion; and An O-ring supply device, comprising: an elevating mechanism that moves up and down to a lower standby position. 2. A plurality of notches extending downward from an upper end in a circumferential direction are provided on an outer peripheral surface of a large diameter portion of the magazine shaft, and an O-ring externally inserted in the large diameter portion is removed from an upper end. Equipped with a removal mechanism, this removal mechanism,
A plurality of engaging members each having a leading end inserted into the plurality of notches and operating in an engaging position engaging a transverse portion of the O-ring crossing each notch and a non-engaging position separated from the transverse portion. The O-ring supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a joining member.