JP2002266981A - Automatic assembling method for torque converter blade and automatic assembling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of assembling a blade in a shell for constituting a torque converter, capable of conducting automatic assembling even if the torque converter is flat-shaped and the inclination of the shell is large. SOLUTION: A plurality of blades 2b, 2c,... are disposed in inclined postures on a horizontal chute 4 and the front-end blade 2b is positioned at a prescribed distance from the end 8 of the chute. A protruding side of a curved blade 2a is attractively-attached to a recessed attracting surface 9 of an insertion bar 3 and the bottom end of the attracted blade 2a is pressed so as to be located at a stopper 11 by bringing the top edge thereof into contact with the stopper. Under this condition, the insertion bar 3 is curved and lowered so as to fit tabs 5a, 5b,... into slit holes 7a, 7b,....

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for automatically assembling a blade into a slit hole provided in a shell of a torque converter, and an automatic assembling apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, a torque converter is a type of joint capable of transmitting the power of an engine to a transmission using a working fluid as a medium. The torque converter is delivered by a pump impeller rotated by the engine and the rotation of the pump impeller. The turbine runner rotates in response to the movement of the working fluid, and further includes a stator that changes the direction of the working fluid exiting the turbine runner and guides the working fluid to the pump impeller.

FIG. 3 is a cross section of a general torque converter. FIG. 3A shows a pump impeller, FIG. 3B shows a turbine runner, and FIG. 3C shows a stator. A working fluid is sealed in the converter outer shell (d), and the rotation of the crankshaft of the engine is transmitted to the front cover (e) of the converter outer shell (d) to rotate the pump impeller (a).

Then, with the rotation of the pump impeller (a), the turbine runner (b) starts to rotate through the working fluid,
While the rotational speed difference between the pump impeller (a) and the turbine runner (b) is large, the turbine runner (b) is rotated at a large torque ratio due to the torque amplification effect due to the presence of the stator (c), and the rotational speed difference is reduced. When it becomes smaller, the torque amplifying action is lost, and power is transmitted from the pump impeller (A) to the turbine runner (B) as a fluid coupling.

[0005] Incidentally, a number of slit holes are provided through the shell constituting the turbine runner, and blades are attached to these slit holes. FIG. 4 shows a part of the turbine runner. A dove (g) of a generally fan-shaped blade (f) is inserted into a slit hole (h) provided in a shell (i), and the blade (f) is formed. The dove (nu) provided inside of ()) fits into the slit hole of the core (lu). The tabs (g) and (g) are bent so that the blade (f) does not come off.

By the way, the blade (f) has its tab
When fitting (G) into the slit hole (H) of the shell (R), there is no problem if the worker manually works,
In order to save labor, automatic assembly by machines must be performed. FIG. 5 shows a conventional automatic blade assembling apparatus in which a plurality of blades (f), (f)... Shown in a schematic diagram are arranged, and an insertion bar ( When the e) falls, the blade (f) at the tip descends at the same time and fits into the slit hole (h) of the shell (i) and is assembled.

[0007] The tip of the insertion bar (e) has a shape capable of holding the blade (f).
Only the sheet is sucked and held, and can be lowered linearly with the insertion bar (e). And the second and subsequent blades
(F) is pushed down backward when the insertion bar (O) descends while holding the blade (F) at the tip, and the shell (R) intermittently moves at a certain angle with the vertical movement of the insertion bar (O). After rotation, the blade (f) is fitted into the slit hole and assembled.

[0008] The insertion bar (e) of the assembling device carries out a linear motion to carry the blade (f) to the slit hole of the shell (i). Depending on the torque converter, a flat type having a reduced thickness is available. In this flat type torque converter, the blade that is assembled to the shell (R)
(F) is attached with a large inclination. Therefore, insert bar (e)
When the blade is lowered and fitted into the slit hole, the interval between the blade and the adjacent blade may be too small to be assembled.

As shown in FIG. 5, blades (f),
(F) are arranged in an inclined manner, and the insertion bar (e) is positioned on the concave side of the curved blade (f) and is sucked so as to lean against the convex suction surface (wa). When only one sheet adsorbed with the lowering of the insertion bar (e) is carried to the shell (i) and assembled, it is difficult to assemble the flat type torque converter because the blade interval is narrow. Also, the flat type torque converter blade (f) has a small curvature,
The blade (f) adsorbed on the convex suction surface (W) is displaced. Further, there is a problem that the remaining blades (f), (f)... Not adsorbed on the insertion bar (e) are pushed back along with the lowering of the insertion bar (e), so that their arrangement is disturbed.

[0010]

As described above, there are the above-mentioned problems in the operation of assembling the blade of the conventional torque converter. The problem to be solved by the present invention is this problem. Even in the case of a flat type torque converter in which the blade is inclined and attached to the shell, the blade assembly can be correctly attached to the insertion bar and automatically assembled. An attachment method and an assembly device are provided.

[0011]

The blades are arranged on a horizontal chute so as to be inclined in a line, and the leading blade is arranged at a position a predetermined distance (generally several mm) from the tip of the chute. The insertion bar does not move in a straight line as in the related art, but descends while bending generally so as not to interfere with the tip of the chute. The blades arranged on the chute are attracted to and attracted to the tip suction surface when the insertion bar is located at the tip of the chute, but the insertion bar is located on the convex side of the curved blade. That is, the convex side of the curved blade is attached by suction to the concave suction surface.

Since the position of the blade adsorbed on the adsorbing end of the insertion bar is not fixed, positioning is performed to correct the holding posture. For this purpose, a positioning block is provided, the positioning block is brought into contact with the lower end of the blade to correct the holding position, and the positioned blade is fitted into a slit hole of the shell by an insertion bar and assembled. When the leading blade is attracted to the insertion bar from the chute, the arranged blade group moves along the chute, and the position of the leading blade is always fixed. Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0013]

1 and 2 are schematic views showing a blade assembling apparatus according to the present invention.
Represents a blade, 3 represents an insertion bar, and 4 represents a chute. The blade 2 has a substantially fan shape, and four triangular tabs 5a, 5b... Protrude on the lower side shown in the figure, and two triangular two tabs 6a, 6b on the upper side. It is protruding.

The shell 1 has slit holes 7a, 7a.
b, 7c, 7d are provided at a constant pitch all over the circumference, and the tabs 5a, 5b... of the blade 2 are fitted into these slit holes 7a, 7b. FIG. 2 shows a case where three blades 2, 2,... Are assembled, but the blades 2, 2 arranged on the upper horizontal chute 4 are shown.
2 are attracted to the insertion bar 3 and descend, and the slit holes 7a,
7b are fitted with tabs 5a, 5b.

The shell 1 is supported in an inclined manner as shown in FIG.
a, 5b are fitted in the slit holes 7a, 7b... each time the blades 2 are assembled one by one.
Rotates by a constant pitch. Multiple blades 2,2 ...
Are arranged on the horizontal chutes 4 and the horizontal chutes 4a, 4b, 4c are connected to the tabs 5a, 5
b, 5d are positioned on top.

In FIG. 1, the blade 2a is
The other blades 2 b, 2 c... Are arranged on the horizontal chute 4. Blades 2b, 2c
.. Are arranged on the horizontal chute 4 so as to be convex on the left side surface in the same figure, and the distance A from the chute tip 8 to the leading blade 2b is about several millimeters. FIG. 1 shows a case where the leading blade 2a placed on the horizontal chute 4 is attracted to the tip of the insertion bar 3, and the insertion bar 3 is lowered in a state in which the curved side of the blade is attracted and inclined and inclined.

However, instead of dropping in a straight line, so as not to interfere with the tip 8 of the chute, once it has fallen diagonally downward as shown by the arrow, it descends vertically downward into the slit holes 7a, 7b. fit. That is, the blades 2b, 2c,.
Is attached by suction in the same inclined position, so that the upper side of the blade covers the tip 8 of the chute.
If it descends in a straight line as it is, it will interfere. Therefore, it is controlled to descend while curving along the cam.

The insertion bar 3 has a concave suction surface 9 for suctioning the blades 2 arranged on the inclined horizontal chute 4. A magnet 10 is provided so that the blade 2 is attracted to the attracting surface 9, and a stopper 11 is formed above the attracting surface 9, and is positioned with the upper edge of the blade 2 a. That is, the blade 2b,
Are arranged at a distance A from the tip 8 of the horizontal chute 4, and the leading blade 2b is attracted by the magnet 10 and attracted to the attracting surface 9. Here, if the magnet 10 is stronger, the upper part of the inclined blade 2a attracted to the insertion bar 3 can be separated so as not to cover the tip of the chute. In this case, the insertion bar 3 is bent. It is also possible to descend in a straight line without having to do so.

A positioning block 12 is arranged at a predetermined position from the tip 8 of the chute 4. The positioning block 12 can slide back and forth in the direction of the arrow as shown in the figure, and by moving diagonally upward, hits the lower end of the blade 2a adsorbed on the suction surface 9 and pushes up the blade 2a. It comes into contact with the stopper 11. Therefore,
The blade 2a that is sucked to the suction surface 9 and whose position is not determined is fixed at a predetermined position, and is lowered as it is so that the tabs 5a, 5b... Are fitted into the slit holes 7a, 7b.

The blades 2b, 2c,... Arranged on the horizontal chute 4 are fed by the thickness of the blade each time the leading blade 2b is mounted at a distance A from the tip 8. The shell 1 rotates intermittently in the direction of the arrow as shown in the figure, and the blades 2 are assembled one by one. Here, since the blade 2 to be mounted is located behind (convex side) the blade 2 already mounted at an angle, there is no interference at the time of mounting.

As described above, according to the blade assembling method of the present invention, the shell is mounted obliquely, the blades arranged on the horizontal chute are sucked one by one onto the suction surface of the insertion bar, and the insertion bar is lowered. Then, it is fitted into the slit hole provided in the shell, and the following effects can be obtained.

[0022]

According to the blade assembling method of the present invention, the blade can be sucked on the suction surface of the insertion bar, lowered, and fitted with the tab in the slit hole of the shell. The blades are arranged on a horizontal chute, and the leading blade is adsorbed by the insertion bar and hits the positioning block so that the positioning is performed correctly. Therefore, in order for the correctly positioned blade to be attracted to the suction surface of the concave insertion bar, the tab can be fitted into the slit hole of the shell by lowering together with the insertion bar.

The blade is assembled by rotating the shell intermittently at a fixed angle, but the shell is assembled on the back side of the blade already assembled, that is, on the convex side, so that there is no interference in the assembly. . Therefore, automatic assembling can be performed even when the torque converter has a large oblateness and the blade has a large inclination angle. And the insertion bar is positioned so that the upper part of the blade covers the tip of the chute in order to adsorb the convex side of the inclined blade, but does not drop down in a straight line, but curves down so as not to interfere with the tip of the chute. Is controlled as follows.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an apparatus for assembling a blade of a torque converter according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a blade assembled to a shell.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a torque converter.

FIG. 4 is a part of a turbine runner.

FIG. 5 shows a conventional blade assembling method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Shell 2 Blade 3 Insertion Bar 4 Chute 5 Tab 6 Tab 7 Slit Hole 8 Tip 9 Suction Surface 10 Magnet 11 Stopper 12 Positioning Block 13 Back

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method for assembling blades on a shell constituting a torque converter, wherein a plurality of blades are arranged obliquely on a horizontal chute, a leading blade is located at a predetermined distance from a tip of the chute, and an insertion bar is provided. The convex side of the curved blade is attached to the concave suction surface by suction, and the suction surface is inclined at substantially the same angle as the blades arranged on the chute. By pressing from below, the upper edge of the blade is correctly positioned against the stopper formed on the upper side, and the insertion bar that has absorbed the blade descends,
A method for automatically assembling a blade of a torque converter, wherein a tab is fitted into a slit hole of a shell which is mounted at an angle and rotates intermittently. 2. The method for automatically assembling a torque converter blade according to claim 1, wherein the insertion bar is controlled so as to bend and descend so as not to interfere with the tip of the chute. 3. An apparatus for assembling a blade to a shell constituting a torque converter, comprising a horizontal chute for arranging and arranging a plurality of inclined blades, wherein the chute has a concave shape at its tip end for adsorbing the blade. An insertion bar having a stopper formed on the suction surface and above the suction bar is controlled so that the insertion bar moves up and down along a predetermined trajectory, and the blade adsorbed on the suction surface of the insertion bar is pressed against the stopper for positioning. And a rotation block intermittently rotating in conjunction with the vertical movement of the insertion bar.