JP2001287818A - Roller conveyor unit and roller conveyor device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a roller conveyor unit and roller conveyor device embodied at a low cost on the unit system, involving a less number of motors expensive, and capable of stably transporting even a short work. SOLUTION: On a retainer plate 2 a plurality of idle rollers 5A-5E are solely installed in a single row rotatably, while a plurality of drive rollers 7A-7E are solely installed on another retainer plate 3 in a single row rotatably, and drive pulleys 10A-10E are fixed to the respective drive roller shafts 8, and a belt 11 is set over the drive pulleys 10A and 10E on the two sides while a pressure contact means puts the belt 11 in pressure contact with the other drive pulleys 10B-10D, and a motor 18 drives the belt 11 while a work sensor 20 senses any work transported and emits a sensing signal, and a control circuit means 21 controls the motor 18 in conformity to the sensing signal from the work sensor 20 of the applicable roller conveyor unit 1 and a signal given by the adjacent control circuit means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a roller conveyor unit and a roller conveyor device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, US Pat. No. 5,904,239 is a suitable roller conveyor device in a clean room for a delicate transfer work such as a silicon wafer or a magnetic disk. This structure will be described with reference to FIG.

[0003] As shown in FIG.
0 and 71 are provided. A plurality of idle rollers 72 are arranged in a row inside one holding plate 70, and the idle roller shaft 73 of each idle roller 72 is supported by the holding plate 70. Inside the other holding plate 71, a drive roller 7 is provided so as to face the idle roller 72.
4 and idle rollers 75 are alternately arranged, and each drive roller shaft 76 and each idle roller shaft 77
It is supported by Each drive roller 74 is driven by a motor 78 fixed to the holding plate 71 corresponding to the drive roller 74.

The holding plate 71 has a work detection sensor 79 for detecting the work being carried and carried on the idle roller 72, the drive roller 74 and the idle roller 75 and outputting a detection signal to the two drive rollers. 74 are provided for each. Control circuit means (not shown) is provided corresponding to the two motors 78 and the one work detection sensor 79, and the control circuit means includes a detection signal from the work detection sensor 79 and an adjacent control circuit means. The motor 78 is controlled in response to a signal from the motor 78.

The following structure is adopted so that when the motor stops and starts to rotate, the motor gradually stops and starts to rotate. A drive roller is rotatably supported on a drive shaft of the motor via a bearing, one end of a spring is fixed to an inner wall of the drive roller, and the other end of the spring is fixed to the drive shaft.

[0006]

In the above prior art, the driving rollers 74 and the idle rollers 75 are provided alternately, and each of the driving rollers 74 is driven by the motor 78, so that a large number of expensive motors 78 are required. This is an expensive device. In addition, since the roller conveyor device is a very long device depending on the place where the roller conveyor device is installed, the device is also expensive in this respect. An idle roller 75 is provided between the drive rollers 74.
Therefore, a certain length of the transfer work is required, and transfer of the transfer work having a short length becomes unstable.

The material of the drive roller is made of flexible polyethylene rubber. However, such materials cannot sufficiently prevent static electricity.

Further, since the driving roller is driven via the spring, the spring is deteriorated by long-term use, and static electricity is generated between the driving roller and the driving shaft.

Further, since the roller conveyor device is arranged in a plane, a large installation space is required.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a roller conveyer unit which is unitized, has a small number of expensive motors, is inexpensive, and can stably convey a short-length conveyed work.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a roller conveyor unit capable of sufficiently preventing static electricity and preventing electrostatic discharge.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a roller conveyor unit which does not cause deterioration even by long-term use, does not damage a work to be transported during acceleration and deceleration, and does not generate static electricity. Is to do.

A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a roller conveyor device capable of three-dimensionally and effectively disposing a linear roller conveyor.

[0014]

A first means of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned first problem is that a plurality of idle rollers are arranged in a line inside one of the holding plates arranged opposite to each other. Only, and each idle roller is rotatably provided on the holding plate, and only a plurality of driving rollers are arranged in a line inside the other holding plate, and the driving roller shaft of each driving roller is connected to the other of the driving rollers. A drive pulley is fixed to each of the drive roller shafts, and a belt is hung on both drive pulleys of the plurality of drive pulleys. Providing pressure contact means so as to press-contact, providing a motor for driving the belt, providing a work detection sensor for detecting a conveying work and outputting a detection signal, and control circuit means for controlling the motor, Control circuit means is characterized by being adapted to control the motor in accordance with a signal from the detection signal and the adjacent control circuit means from the work sensor of the roller conveyor unit.

[0015] In order to solve the above first and second problems,
A second means of the present invention is the first means, wherein
The material of the idle roller and drive roller has a surface resistivity
10 ⁷ -10¹⁴Ω / □.

A third means of the present invention for solving the first and second problems is characterized in that, in the second means, the material of the idle roller and the drive roller is made of conductive polyurethane. And

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention for solving the first and third problems, in the first aspect, the control circuit means includes an arithmetic control unit, an acceleration / deceleration / speed setting switch, and a crystal. It has a vibrator, and the acceleration / deceleration / speed setting switch can set the transport speed and acceleration / deceleration time by rotation of the motor of the roller conveyor unit. A detection signal upon detection and a signal from a control circuit means of a roller conveyor unit disposed adjacently,
The motor is driven by recognizing the setting of the acceleration / deceleration / speed setting switch, outputting a rotation command to the motor, and simultaneously outputting a signal for generating a pulse according to the speed setting to the crystal unit.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a linear roller conveyor comprising a plurality of roller conveyor units having the configuration of the first means connected in series. An elevator is provided above and below the set, and is equipped with at least one roller conveyor unit, and an elevator that is driven up and down so that the roller conveyor unit is positioned on a conveyance path of the two sets of linear roller conveyors. A lifting plate vertically driven, a motor for vertically driving the lifting plate, and a motor fixed to the lifting plate.
Control circuit means for controlling the motor of the roller conveyor unit having the configuration described above, the control circuit means,
Controlling the motor by transmitting and receiving a detection signal when a work detection sensor of a roller conveyor unit fixed to the elevating plate detects a work to be conveyed, and a control circuit unit of the linear roller conveyor. Features.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. When forming a transport path, FIG.
The required number of roller conveyor units 1 are connected in series and disposed. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the holding plates 2 and 3 arranged opposite to each other are connected by a connecting rod 4. Inside the holding plate 2, five idle rollers 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, and 5E are arranged in a row, and the idle rollers 5A to 5E are respectively provided with idle roller shafts 6 fixed to the holding plate 2. It is supported rotatably.

Inside the other holding plate 3, five drive rollers 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E are arranged in a row in opposition to the idle rollers 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E. Each drive roller shaft 8 of the rollers 7A to 7E is rotatably supported by the holding plate 3 via a bearing 9. Each drive roller shaft 8 has a drive pulley 10A,
0B, 10C, 10D, and 10E are fixed. A belt 11 is hung on the drive pulleys 10A and 10E.

The belt 1 is attached to the drive pulleys 10B and 10C.
1 so that the drive pulleys 10B and 10C
A tension pulley 15 is disposed between them, and the tension pulley 15 is rotatably supported by a tension pulley shaft 16 fixed to the holding plate 3. Drive pulley 10
A motor pulley 17 is disposed between the drive pulleys 10C and 10D so as to press the belt 11 against C and 10D, and the motor pulley 17 is fixed to an output shaft of a motor 18 fixed to the holding plate 3.

Accordingly, both drive pulleys 10A and 1A
The belt 11 hanged on 0E is a tension pulley 15
And a drive pulley 10A, 1
It is also pressed against drive pulleys 10B, 10C and 10D other than 0E. Then, when the motor 18 is driven to rotate the motor pulley 17, all the drive pulleys 10A to 10E rotate in the same direction via the belt 11, and
A to 7E also rotate in the same direction. Thereby, the transported work placed on the idle rollers 5A to 5E and the drive rollers 7A to 7E is transported.

As described above, only a plurality of drive rollers 7A to 7E are rotatably supported on the holding plate 3, and these drive rollers 7A to 7E are driven by one motor 18, so that the cost is low. The roller conveyor unit 1 is obtained. In addition, a short transfer work can be stably transferred.

The idle rollers 5A to 5E and the driving rollers 7A to 7E are made of a material having a surface resistivity of 10 ⁷ to 10 ^14.
It is made of Ω / □ conductive polyurethane. In general,
As a material called antistatic, a material containing carbon or carbon fiber is used, and most of them have a surface resistivity of 10 ³ to 10 ⁶ Ω / □. However, grounding with such a low-resistance material can be said to be a countermeasure against static electricity, but there is a possibility that an object already charged with static electricity may be discharged (sparked). Then, it is not possible to prevent electromagnetic interference as in the case of grounding with a metal material. The material of the idle rollers 5A to 5E and the driving rollers 7A to 7E is made of conductive polyurethane having a surface resistivity of 10 ⁷ to 10 ¹⁴ Ω / □. The discharged charge is released gradually, not instantaneously, to prevent electrostatic discharge.

The holding plate 3 has drive pulleys 10A,
The work detection sensor 20 disposed above the OE is fixed, and a detection window (not shown) is provided in a portion of the holding plate 3 corresponding to the work detection sensor 20.

Further, control circuit means 21 is fixed to the holding plate 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the control circuit means 21 has a control board 22 fixed to the holding plate 3. The control board 22 includes an arithmetic control unit 23 composed of a semiconductor device, an acceleration / deceleration / speed setting switch 24, A crystal oscillator 25 and a motor driver 26 are mounted.

The acceleration / deceleration / speed setting switch 24 is a dip switch having five switches. 3, NO. 4, NO. 5 is the setting of the transport speed, switch number NO. 1, NO. 2 is an acceleration / deceleration time setting. Switch No. 3, NO. 4, N
O. By the combination of OFF and ON of 5, eight kinds of rotations of the motor 18 shown in [Table 1], that is, eight kinds of transport speeds can be obtained. In the idle rollers 5A to 5E and the driving rollers 7A to 7E shown in the present embodiment, the small-diameter roller portion and the large-diameter roller portion are integrally formed.
In the case of mmφ, the transport speed shown in [Table 1] is obtained.

[0028]

[Table 1]

[0029]

[Table 2]

The switch number NO. 1, NO. 2 OF
By the combination of F and ON, the acceleration / deceleration time shown in [Table 2] can be obtained for the above eight kinds of transport speeds. That is, the switch number NO. 1, NO. By setting the acceleration / deceleration time shown in [Table 2], the motor 18
Is accelerated at the start and decelerated at the stop.

The arithmetic and control unit 23 detects a detection signal when the work detection sensor 20 of the roller conveyor unit 1 detects a work to be conveyed and a signal 30 from the control circuit means 21 of the roller conveyor unit 1 disposed adjacently. Then, the setting of the acceleration / deceleration / speed setting switch 24 is recognized, and the rotation command 31 is output to the motor driver 26. At the same time, it outputs a signal 33 for causing the crystal oscillator 25 to generate a pulse 32 at the set speed. Motor driver 26
Is a rotation command 31 from the arithmetic and control unit 23 and the crystal unit 2
The number of pulses 32 from 5 is recognized and output to the motor 18.

For example, when the transport speed in [Table 1] is set to "3", the switch number No. shown in [Table 1] is used. 3 is OFF, switch number NO. 4 is ON, switch number N
O. 5 is OFF, so the small-diameter roller is 3.6
At 2 m / min (60.3 mm / sec), the speed of the large-diameter roller is 4.52 m / min (75.4 mm / sec). The acceleration time to reach this speed and the deceleration time from that speed are determined by the switch number NO. 1 is ON, switch number NO. When 2 is OFF, the time is 0.3 sec.

Thus, the acceleration / deceleration / speed setting switch 2
By setting 4, the transport speed and the acceleration / deceleration time can be changed immediately. Further, the optimum value can be easily selected according to the use conditions, for example, the weight and size of the transported work.

In the above embodiment, the case where the number of the idle rollers 5A to 5E and the number of the drive rollers 7A to 7E are five has been described. However, the number of idle rollers 5A to 5E and the number of drive rollers 7A to 7E may be other than five. For example, 3
In this case, the idle rollers are only 5C, 5D and 5E, and the drive rollers are only 7C, 7D and 7E. In this case, of course, there is no tension pulley 15 and the belt 1
Needless to say, 1 is applied to the driving rollers 7C and 7E. Needless to say, the holding plates 2 and 3 are also large enough to hold the idle rollers 5C to 5E and the driving rollers 7C to 7E. In the case of four rollers, the idle roller 5A and the drive roller 7A may be omitted, and the belt 11 may be hung on the drive rollers 7B and 7E.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention. Two sets of linear roller conveyors 40 and 41 in which a plurality of roller conveyor units 1 having the configuration shown in FIG. 1 are connected are vertically arranged. FIG. 4 shows the linear roller conveyors 40 and 41 in a short and simplified manner. The upper linear roller conveyor 40 includes a support plate 4 fixed to a ceiling 42.
3, and the lower linear roller conveyor 41 is fixed to a support base 44. Between the linear roller conveyors 40 and 41, the transfer work 45 is moved between the linear roller conveyors 4 and 41.
From 0, there is provided a linear roller conveyor 41 or an erater 50 which conveys from the linear roller conveyor 41 to the linear roller conveyor 40.

Next, the structure of the eraser 50 will be described. Four pillars 52 are erected on the bottom plate 51, and the pillars 52 are provided.
Is fixed to a top plate 53, and the bottom plate 51, the support posts 52, and the top plate 53 form a frame. A support plate 54 is fixed to the rear side of the side surface of the frame. The support plate 54 includes
Pulley shaft 5 is positioned above linear roller conveyor 40.
5 is rotatably supported, and a pulley shaft 56 is rotatably supported at a position below the linear roller conveyor 41. A pulley 57 is fixed to the pulley shaft 55, two pulleys 58 and 59 are fixed to the pulley shaft 56, and a timing belt 60 is hung on the pulleys 57 and 58. A motor 61 is fixed to the support plate 54 at a position lower than the pulley shaft 56, and a pulley 62 fixed to the output shaft of the motor 61 and the pulley 59 are covered by a timing belt 63.

An elevating plate 65 is fixed to the front portion of the timing belt 60, and the roller conveyor unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 is fixed to the elevating plate 65.
Here, when the roller conveyor unit 1 fixed to the elevating plate 65 is positioned above indicated by a solid line, it coincides with the transport path of the linear roller conveyor 40, and the roller conveyor unit 1 is positioned below indicated by a two-dot chain line. When it is located, it coincides with the transport path of the linear roller conveyor 41. In order to balance the weight of the lift plate 65 and the roller conveyor unit 1, a weight 66 is fixed to a portion symmetrical to the lift plate 65 at the rear portion of the timing belt 60.

A control circuit means 67 for controlling the motor 61 is fixed to the support plate 54. The control circuit means 67 includes a detection signal when the work detection sensor 20 of the roller conveyor unit 1 detects the transfer work 45,
The motor 61 is controlled by transmitting and receiving signals to and from the control circuit means 21 (see FIG. 3) of the linear roller conveyors 40 and 41 on the side of the eraser 50.

Now, a description will be given of a case where the transfer work 45 transferred from the linear roller conveyor 40 is transferred to the linear roller conveyor 41. In this case, the lifting plate 65
Is located at the position indicated by the solid line above. Elebeta 5 of the linear roller conveyor 40
When a transfer signal of the transfer work 45 is output from the control circuit 21 on the 0 side to the control circuit 67, the control circuit 67
The motor 18 of the roller conveyor unit 1 is
(See FIG. 1), the drive rollers 7A to 7E rotate, and the transported work 45 is transported in the direction of arrow B and transferred to the roller conveyor unit 1.

When the work detecting sensor 20 detects that the transported work 45 has been transferred onto the roller conveyor unit 1, the motor 18 stops and the motor 61 rotates by the signal of the control circuit means 67. By the rotation of the motor 61, the timing belt 60 moves in the direction of arrow C via the pulley 62, the timing belt 63, the pulley 59, the pulley shaft 56, and the pulley 58. As a result, the roller conveyor unit 1 supporting the transfer work 45 moves down together with the elevating plate 65, and the roller conveyor unit 1
The motor 61 moves to the position indicated by the dashed line, and the motor 61 stops.

Next, a delivery signal is output from the control circuit means 67 to the control circuit means 21 of the linear roller conveyor 41 on the side of the erater 50, and the roller conveyor unit 1
Motor 18 rotates. In addition, linear roller conveyor 4
A signal is output to the first control circuit means 21, and the motor 18 of the linear roller conveyor 41 rotates. Thereby, the transfer work 45 is driven by the driving roller 7 of the roller conveyor unit 1.
A to 7E, the rollers are conveyed toward the linear roller conveyor 41 and drive rollers 7A to 7
It is transported in the direction of arrow D by E.

When the control circuit means 67 confirms that the transfer work 45 has been transferred from the roller conveyor unit 1 to the linear roller conveyor 41, the control circuit means 67 rotates the motor 61 in the reverse direction. As a result, the timing belt 60 moves in the opposite direction, the roller conveyor unit 1 moves from the position indicated by the two-dot chain line to the position indicated by the solid line, and enters a state of receiving the next transported work 45.

When the transfer work 45 is transferred from the linear roller conveyor 41 to the linear roller conveyor 40, the operation is the reverse of that described above, and a description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, the linear roller conveyors 40 and 41 in which a plurality of roller conveyor units 1 are connected in series are provided.
Are arranged vertically, and at least one roller conveyor unit 1 is mounted thereon, and the roller conveyor unit 1 is driven up and down so as to be positioned on the transport path of the two linear roller conveyors 40 and 41. Since the elevator 50 is provided, the linear roller conveyors 40 and 41 can be disposed three-dimensionally and effectively.

[0045]

According to the first means of the present invention, a unitary work can be achieved, and there are few expensive motors, so that an inexpensive and short-length conveyed work can be stably conveyed.

According to the second and third means of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first means, static electricity can be sufficiently prevented, and electrostatic discharge can be prevented.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the first means, there is no deterioration due to long-term use, no damage to the transfer work during acceleration / deceleration, and no static electricity. Does not occur.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first means, a linear roller conveyor can be disposed three-dimensionally and effectively.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1A and 1B show an embodiment of a roller conveyor unit of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is a plan view showing a partial cross section, and FIG. 1B is a front view.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of control circuit means.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the roller conveyor device of the present invention, wherein (a) is a front view and (b) is a side view.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a conventional roller conveyor unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 roller conveyor unit 2, 3 holding plate 5A-5E idle roller 6 idle roller shaft 7A-7E drive roller 8 drive roller shaft 10A-10E drive pulley 11 belt 15 tension pulley 17 motor pulley 18 motor 20 work detection sensor 21 control circuit means 22 Control board 23 Arithmetic control unit 24 Acceleration / deceleration / speed setting switch 25 Quartz oscillator 26 Motor driver 30 Signal 31 Rotation command 32 Pulse 33 Signal 40, 41 Linear roller conveyor 45 Conveyance work 50 Elebeta 57, 58, 59 Pulley 60 Timing belt 61 motor 62 pulley 63 timing belt 65 elevating plate 67 control circuit means

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3F027 AA03 AA04 CA01 DA01 DA04 DA12 DA14 FA12 3F033 BB02 BB19 BC02 BC07 BC09 FA08

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A method according to claim 1, wherein only a plurality of idle rollers are arranged in a line inside one of the holding plates disposed opposite to each other, each idle roller is rotatably provided on the holding plate, and the other holding plate is provided. Only a plurality of drive rollers are arranged in a line inside the
A drive roller shaft of each drive roller is rotatably provided on the other holding plate, and a drive pulley is fixed to each of the drive roller shafts, and a belt is hung on drive pulleys on both sides of the plurality of drive pulleys, Pressing means is provided so that the belt is also pressed against the drive pulleys other than the drive pulleys on both sides, a motor for driving the belt is provided, and a work detection sensor for detecting a transfer work and outputting a detection signal is provided. Having control circuit means for controlling,
The roller conveyor unit, wherein the control circuit means controls the motor in accordance with a detection signal from a work detection sensor of the roller conveyor unit and a signal from an adjacent control circuit means. 2. The material of the idle roller and the drive roller.
The quality is 10 ⁷ -10¹⁴Ω / □
The roller conveyor unit according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The roller conveyor unit according to claim 2, wherein the idle roller and the drive roller are made of conductive polyurethane. 4. The control circuit means includes an arithmetic control unit, an acceleration / deceleration / speed setting switch, and a crystal oscillator.
The speed setting switch can set the transport speed and acceleration / deceleration time by rotation of the motor of the roller conveyor unit,
Arithmetic control unit receives a signal from the control circuit means sensing signals and adjacent to disposed the roller conveyor units when the work sensor of the roller conveyor unit detects a transport work, deceleration and speed setting switch 2. The roller conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the motor is driven by recognizing the setting of the motor, outputting a rotation command to the motor, and simultaneously outputting a signal for generating a pulse according to the speed setting to the crystal unit. unit. 5. A roller conveyor comprising a plurality of linear roller conveyors comprising a plurality of roller conveyor units having the configuration according to claim 1 connected in series, and at least one roller conveyor unit mounted thereon. An elevator driven up and down so that the unit is positioned on the conveyance path of the two linear roller conveyors; an elevator driven up and down; a motor driven up and down the elevator; And control circuit means for controlling a motor of the roller conveyor unit having a configuration according to claim 1 fixed to a plate, wherein the control circuit means includes a work detection sensor of the roller conveyor unit fixed to the elevating plate. Controlling the motor by transmitting and receiving a detection signal when a transfer work is detected and a control circuit means of the linear roller conveyor A roller conveyor device.