JP2002205237A - Machining system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compact and inexpensive machining system having a plurality of working heads. SOLUTION: This machining system comprises a robot 2 that can be controlled by a program, works along two axes relatively for work W, and has a chuck 7, the plurality of working heads 15 and 25 for performing a predetermined machining process for the work W, and support devices 10 and 20 for supporting respective working heads 15 and 25 movably in at least one direction. The support devices 10 and 20 are provided with grappled parts 14 and 24 grappled by the chuck 7 respectively, and the chuck 7 moves with the grappled parts 14 and 24 grappled, thereby moving the working heads 15 and 25 to a predetermined working position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a processing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a workpiece is processed automatically, a work head for performing a predetermined processing step is fixed to an industrial robot and the robot is operated.

[0003]

However, when a plurality of working heads are used, a robot is required for each working head, which inevitably increases the cost. Also, the installation space becomes large.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a compact and low-cost machining system having a plurality of working heads. .

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a machining system according to the present invention is capable of being controlled by a program, is driven at least in two axes relative to a workpiece, and has a chuck. A robot, a plurality of work heads for performing a predetermined processing step on the workpiece, and a support device for supporting each work head movably in at least one axial direction, the support device, A grip portion to be gripped by the chuck is provided, and the work head can be transferred to a predetermined work position by moving the chuck while gripping the grip portion.

In the present invention, the "robot" refers to a handling device which has a programmable control device such as a computer and is controlled by the control device.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The work W conveyed from the first conveyor 41 shown in FIG. 1 is supplied to the processing system 1 by the supply pusher 43. The workpiece W processed by the processing system 1 is discharged onto the second conveyor 42 by the discharge pusher 44, and is conveyed downstream by the second conveyor 42.

Structure of processing system: Processing system 1
Includes, for example, a robot 2 controlled by a programmable control device (not shown) including a microcomputer. The robot 2 has a gate-shaped fixed frame 3 and a chuck 7. The fixed frame 3 has a horizontal rail 4 provided in the left-right direction X with respect to the work W, a front-rear rail 5 provided in the front-rear direction Y, and a vertical rail 6 provided in the vertical direction Z. The chuck 7 is provided so as to be movable in three axial directions along the rails 4, 5, 6 in the left-right direction X, the front-back direction Y, and the up-down direction Z.
The chuck 7 is controlled to move in three axial directions by the control device.

The left and right columns 31, 3 of the fixed frame 3
2 includes first and second support devices 10 and 20 for supporting the first work head 15 and the second work head 25, respectively.
Is provided. The support devices 10 and 20 include base portions 11 and 21 attached to the columns 31 and 32, arms 12 and 22, and movable portions 13 and 23. The arms 12 and 22 comprise two links connecting the bases 11 and 21 and the movable parts 13 and 23, and the movable parts 13 and 23 move in a horizontal plane via the arms 12 and 22. Supported as possible.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
Numeral 3 is provided movably in the vertical direction Z with respect to the arms 12 and 22, and the movable parts 13 and 23 are urged upward by the spring S with respect to the arms 12 and 22. Therefore, the movable parts 13 and 23 are supported via the arms 12 and 22 so as to be movable in three axial directions. In addition, as shown in the plan view of FIG.
A magnet 16 is fixed to the surfaces of the magnets 1 and 21 facing each other. When the movable portions 13 and 23 abut against the base portions 11 and 21, the movable portions 13 and 23 are moved by the magnetic force of the magnet 16. 11 and 21 are fixed.

A first working head 15 is fixed to one first movable portion 13 shown in FIG. First working head 1
Reference numeral 5 denotes, for example, a screw tightening device, which screws the work W using a screw supplied from the screw supply device 35 (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-10451 and Japanese Patent No. 30444148). . The second working head 25 is fixed to the other second movable part 23.
The second working head 25 is made of, for example, an injection device of an adhesive (for example, “Loctite (registered trademark)” or the like) for preventing screw loosening, and the adhesive supplied from the supply device 36 is screwed to the adhesive. Inject into the screw.

The movable parts 13 and 23 shown in FIG.
However, each is protruded. The chuck 7 grips the gripped parts 14 and 24 and moves in the three-axis direction,
The work heads 15 and 25 are transferred to a predetermined work position where work is performed on the work W.

Next, an example of the operation of the processing system 1 will be described. The two movable parts 13, 2
Numerals 3 are fixed in advance to the initial positions in contact with the base ends 11 and 21 by the magnetic force of the magnet 16, respectively. The work W is supplied to the machining system 1 by the supply pusher 43.
Is supplied, the chuck 7 in the open state moves rightward as shown in FIG. 3A, and as shown in FIG.
The gripper 14 of the first support device 10 is gripped. After the gripping, the chuck 7 moves to the left while gripping the gripped portion 14, and after the screw is supplied from the screw supply device 35 (FIG. 1), the chuck 7 further moves. (1) Stop at the work position above the work W. Thereafter, the first working head 15 (FIG. 2) is lowered by the chuck 7 descending while gripping the gripped portion 14, and the work W is screwed.

After the screwing, the chuck 7 is moved up, and as shown in FIG. 4A, the chuck 7 is moved rightward to bring the base end 11 into contact with the movable portion 13. The movable part 13 is fixed to the base end 11 by the magnet 16 of the base end 11. Thereafter, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4B, after the chuck 7 opens the gripped portion 14, the chuck 7 in the open state moves to the left, and the two-dot chain line in FIG. As shown by, the gripped portion 24 of the second support device 20 is gripped. After the gripping, the chuck 7 moves rightward while holding the gripped portion 24 and stops at the work position above the workpiece W. After the stop, as the chuck 7 is lowered, the second work head 25 (FIG. 2) is lowered to inject the adhesive around the screw.

As described above, the plurality of working heads 15, 25
Of these, any work head is gripped by the chuck 7 provided on the robot 2 and moved to the work position, so that it is not necessary to provide an expensive robot for each work head. Therefore, the cost of the processing system can be significantly reduced and the processing system can be made compact. The work heads 15 and 25 are supported by supporting devices 10 and 20, respectively, and the robot 2 does not need to support the load of the work heads 15 and 25. There is no need to increase the size.

The operation of the processing system 1 described above has been described by exemplifying a case where the chuck 7 moves in the left-right direction X for simplicity of explanation. The workpiece W can be moved to perform various processing. Further, although the gate-shaped fixed frame 3 is provided in the left-right direction with respect to the work W, the fixed frame may be provided in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, work W
It may be moved on a horizontal plane, for example, in the left-right direction X or the front-back direction Y.

As described above, the preferred embodiments have been described with reference to the drawings. However, those skilled in the art can easily envisage various changes and modifications within the obvious scope by referring to the present specification. Would. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a screw tightening device and an adhesive injecting device are illustrated as working heads. However, the working head may be any one that performs a predetermined processing step on a work, for example, soldering. And cutting and the like may be performed. Further, after the injection of the adhesive is first performed, the screw may be tightened. In this case, the adhesive is injected into the screw hole of the work W. Accordingly, such changes and modifications are to be construed as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since an arbitrary work head among the plurality of work heads is gripped by the chuck provided on the robot and moved to the work position, it is not necessary to provide an expensive robot for each work head. Therefore, the cost of the processing system can be significantly reduced and the processing system can be made compact. Further, since each work head is supported by the support device, and the robot does not need to support the load of the work head, it is not necessary to increase the size of the robot by a large amount even when a heavy work head is used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a support structure of a working head.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the operation of the processing system.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing the operation of the processing system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Processing system W: Work 7: Chuck 2: Robot 15, 25: Work head 10, 20: Supporting device 14, 24: Grasped part 3: Fixed frame 11, 21: Base end 31, 32: Column

Continued on front page F term (reference) 3C002 AA08 DD14 GG03 KK07 3C007 DS01 ES03 ET08 EV02 GS00 NS07 3F060 AA01 DA02 EB02 EC03 EC07 EC10 FA07 GA05 GA13 3F061 AA01 BA03 BB08 BE02 DA00 DB02

Claims (3)

[Claims] Claims: 1. A control by a program is possible, and
A robot having at least two axes driven relative to the work and having a chuck, a plurality of work heads for performing a predetermined processing step on the work, and each of the work heads can be moved in at least one axis direction A plurality of supporting devices that support the gripping unit. A processing system capable of transferring a work head to a predetermined work position. 2. The processing system according to claim 1, wherein the support device movably supports the work head in at least one axial direction in a horizontal plane, and supports the work head movably up and down. 3. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the robot has a gate-shaped fixed frame, and the support device is formed in an arm shape including two or more links, and supports the work head so as to be movable in the horizontal plane. And a processing system in which a base end of the support device is attached to a column of the gate-shaped fixed frame.