JP2003152054A - Transfer system and positioning apparatus for transfer object - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable series of movements including reception and delivery of a transfer object on a placement apparatus automatically and accurately without any troubles, by making the movement of the transfer object smooth by reducing movement resistance when positioning the transfer object on the placement apparatus. SOLUTION: A transfer system for a transfer object comprises a first transfer means 1 for transferring a transfer object, a placement apparatus 2 for receiving the transfer object 4 from the first transfer means, and a second transfer means 3 for receiving the transfer object supported on the placement apparatus and then delivering the transfer object back to the placement apparatus. The placement apparatus is provided with a positioning apparatus 10 having a base 13 for supporting the transfer object, with the base movable between a position for delivering the transfer object received from the first transfer means to the second one, and a position for turning the transfer object received from the second transfer means back to the original position where the transfer object was received from the first transfer means. Furthermore, the positioning apparatus is provided with a movement permission means having a rolling body for supporting the base.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an object transfer system and an object positioning device which are optimal for use in a production line for precision electronic parts such as electronic equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in a manufacturing line for electronic components such as electronic equipment, an unmanned transport vehicle as a first transport means transports an electronic component, which is an object to be transported, to respective processing and processing locations. The transported object is delivered to the placement device installed in each place. Then, the transported object on the placement device is
After receiving by a robot or the like as a second transfer means and subjecting it to predetermined processing and processing, the transferred object is again transferred to the placing device so that the unmanned transfer vehicle receives the transferred object and transfers it to the next step. It has become.

[0003]

However, when the unmanned transport vehicle is stopped by the mounting device, a slight error may occur in the stop position. In such a case, the transported object is delivered to the placement device at a position displaced from a predetermined position. On the other hand, since the robot on the side of the second transfer means receives the transferred object at the setting position of the placement device, if the transferred object has a large deviation, it may be difficult for the robot to receive the transferred object.

Even if the robot receives an object to be conveyed, after carrying out a predetermined processing and processing, the robot places the object to be conveyed at a predetermined position of the placing device. Become. For this reason, if the position of the transport vehicle is deviated, it may not be possible to reliably transfer from the placing device to the transport vehicle.

Therefore, it is necessary to correct the position of the object to be transported to a predetermined position corresponding to each of the transport vehicle and the robot. As such a position correcting means, it is possible to position the transported object while sliding it on the mounting table. In particular, the electronic components are transported while being housed in a cassette in which a plurality of electronic components can be taken in and out. Therefore, the weight of the transported object tends to increase, and the precision equipment such as electronic parts is currently processed and treated in a clean room. Positioning the transported object while sliding it on the mounting table is not preferable because it causes dust and the like.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and when positioning an object to be conveyed on a placing device, the movement resistance thereof is reduced to smoothly move the object to be conveyed. It is an object of the present invention to ensure that a series of operations for receiving and delivering an object to be conveyed on the placing device can be automatically performed without any trouble.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has been made as a transport system for a transported object and a positioning device for the transported object. A first transfer means for transferring the transferred object, a placement device for receiving the transferred object from the first transfer means, a transferred object supported by the mounting device, and a transfer device for receiving the transferred object. In the transport system for the transported object, which again includes the second transporting means for delivering to the mounting device, the mounting device is provided with a positioning device having a pedestal for supporting the transported object, and the pedestal is , A position where the transferred object received from the first transfer means is transferred to the second transfer means, and the transferred object received from the second transfer means is movable to the original position received from the first transfer means Provided and above The determined device is that the movement allowing means is provided with a rollable rolling elements for supporting the base.

Then, the placement device can transfer the transferred means received from the first transfer means to the second transfer means after correcting the position of the transferred means to the predetermined position received by the second transfer means. Further, the placement device can transfer the transferred means received from the second transfer means to the first transfer means after correcting the position of the transferred means to the predetermined position received by the first transfer means.

Therefore, the object to be transferred is transferred from the first transfer means to the second transfer means while the transfer error of the first transfer means is corrected by the placing device, and vice versa. It can be delivered to the transport means. Moreover, since the rolling elements guide the pedestal that supports the transported object,
The pedestal can be moved smoothly.

The features of the transported object positioning device are:
A positioning device that can be used in the transport system for a transported object according to claim 1, wherein the pedestal is located above the casing and can support the transported object, and the pedestal is provided in the casing and connected to the pedestal. The slide, the guide means having a rolling element that supports the slide so that the slide and the pedestal can move in the horizontal direction, and the pedestal moved in any direction, the original position before the movement. And a restoration means for restoring the data.

A positioning device that can be used in the transport system for a transported object according to claim 1, wherein the pedestal is located above the casing and can support the transported object.
A movement permitting means provided in the casing and connected to the pedestal so that the pedestal can move in the horizontal direction;
A restoring means for restoring the pedestal moved in an arbitrary direction to the original position before the movement, and the movement permitting means is provided with a rolling element for rolling the casing when the pedestal moves. It is in.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is an unmanned transport vehicle as a first transport means for moving a production line in a clean room, and 2 is the transport vehicle 1. The placing device 3 on which the cassette 4 containing a plurality of objects to be conveyed as the objects to be conveyed is placed, the object 3 to be processed (not shown) accommodated in the cassette 4 in a plurality of stages, It is a robot as a second transfer means for housing.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cassette 4 is illustrated as a rectangular frame body. Examples of the object to be treated include electronic parts such as liquid crystal glass used in liquid crystal devices.

In the placement device 2, a plurality of (four in the present embodiment) positioning devices 10 are arranged on the upper surface of the base 7. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the positioning device 10 includes a device body 12 and a pedestal 13 which is located above the device body 12 and is movable in an arbitrary horizontal direction with respect to the device body 12. There is. Although it is preferable to provide the pad 11 made of an elastic rubber material on the upper surface of the pedestal 13,
The pad 11 does not necessarily have to be provided.

The apparatus body 12 is a rectangular substrate 11
The casing 17 includes a cylindrical peripheral wall 14 fixed to the substrate 11, and a canopy 15 fixed to the peripheral wall 14 so as to close the upper surface of the peripheral wall 14. A housing space 18 is formed in the casing 17, and a movement permitting means 20 is provided in the housing space 18. A suction hole 11a for temporarily sucking dust or the like generated in the accommodation space 18 is formed at the center of the substrate 11 or any other position so as to communicate with the accommodation space 18. The suction hole 11a is connected to a suction device (not shown).

The movement permitting means 20 is provided with a plurality of guide means 21 provided on the substrate 11 at predetermined intervals and a slide 22 placed on the guide means 21. The guide means 21 is a support member fixed to the base plate 11 by screwing a screw portion 21a, and the support member has a ball 25 as a rolling element on its upper part. The ball 25 supports the slide 22 from below.

A spring 23 as a restoring means is provided between the truss screw 26 provided in the central portion of the slide 22 and the truss screw 27 provided between the support members 21 of the substrate 11. Such spring 23
Is installed in the three directions at the same angle, the slide 22 moved in any direction can be restored to the central position of the casing.

At the center of the canopy 15 is a relief opening 3
0 is formed, and a pillar 31 that connects the pedestal 13 and the slide 22 is inserted into the escape opening 30.
The pedestal 13 and the column 31 are fixed by bolts 32. Further, the support column 31 is fixed to the slide 22 by screwing the male screw portion 31 a thereof into the female screw portion 22 a of the slide 22. Incidentally, 33 is the canopy 15 and the peripheral wall 1
It is a bolt to be fixed to 4.

As shown in FIG. 1, the base 7 is provided with a pair of cylinder devices 34 as correction means.
At the tip of the rod 34 a of the cylinder device 34, the cassette 4 mounted on the pedestal 13 of the positioning device 10 is mounted.
Engaging portions 34b, which are diagonally opposite corner portions 4a and 4b and engage with the inner surface sides of the respective corner portions 4a and 4b, project upward.

Next, a case where the object to be conveyed is conveyed by the conveying system will be described. First, transporting the cassette 4 by the transport vehicle 1 and delivering it to the mounting device 2 is the same as in the prior art. The cassette 4 from the transport vehicle 1 stopped at a predetermined position is placed on each positioning device 10. The delivery of the cassette 4 from the transport vehicle 1 to the mounting device 2 can be performed by a supply means (not shown) provided in the transport vehicle 1, but it can also be performed by a robot or the like separately.

If the transport vehicle 1 stops after being slightly displaced from a predetermined position (for example, if it stops about 10 mm in the traveling direction from the predetermined stop position), the cassette 4 is placed in each positioning device. It will be placed on the pedestal 13 of 10 in a shifted state (see FIG. 5A).

Next, by retracting the rod 34a of the cylinder device 34, the engaging portion 34b provided at the tip of the rod 34a is engaged with the inside of the cassette 4, and the cassette 4 is pulled diagonally. Correct the position to the specified position. At this time, the pedestal 13 that supports the cassette 4
Can be moved in any direction with respect to the apparatus body 12.

That is, by rolling the ball 25 of the support member 21, the slide 22 is allowed to move in any direction. Therefore, the pedestal 13 on which the cassette 4 is placed can be smoothly moved together with the slide 22. Further, the movement of the slide 22 causes a specific spring to be expanded and the other springs to contract.

After the position of the cassette 4 is corrected and positioned as described above, the robot 3 takes out a predetermined liquid crystal glass from the cassette 4 at a predetermined position. The position of the glass is the predetermined position as described above. Since it has been corrected to, it can be reliably taken out. Further, the robot 3 processes and processes the liquid crystal glass taken out by a predetermined processing device or the like (not shown), and then stores it again in a predetermined position of the cassette 4. Similarly, another liquid crystal glass is sequentially processed and processed.

When the processing of the liquid crystal glass is completed, the rod 34a of the cylinder device 34 advances, so that the forced restraint on the cassette 4 is released. As a result, the elastic force of the spring restores the entire cassette 4 to the original position (the position where the cassette 4 is transferred from the transport vehicle 1 to the mounting device 2). The cassette 4 is placed on the waiting transportation vehicle 1, and the transportation vehicle 1 transports the cassette 4 to the next step.

6 and 7 show a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the same members as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, a rattling prevention unit 40 is interposed between the canopy 15 and the slide 22.

The rattling prevention means 40 comprises a disc-shaped retainer 41 having an opening 41a in the center thereof, and balls 43 rotatably accommodated in openings 42 formed in the retainer 41. Each ball 43 is attached to a top plate 45 provided on the top surface of the slide 23 and the back surface of the canopy 15.
Is in free contact with. By providing such rattling prevention means 40, it is possible to prevent the pedestal 5 from rattling. The support column is set to be slightly longer than that of the first embodiment.

8 to 10 show a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the same members as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.
The movement permitting means 20 of the present embodiment includes a support member 50,
An outer casing 51 provided so as to cover the supporting member 50 above and laterally, and the supporting member 50 and the outer casing 5.
And the substrate 11 provided in the space 53 formed by
And a plurality of small spheres 55 that move circularly while rolling on the upper surface of the.

The outer casing 51 and the pedestal 13 are fixed by bolts 60 via a plurality of columns 59. In addition, the bolt 61 is provided at the center of the pedestal 13 with the outer casing 5.
1 and the pedestal 13, and the bolt 61 and the substrate 1 are projected.
The spring 23 is connected to the first bolt 63.

Also in this embodiment, the pedestal 13 can move smoothly together with the support member 50 and the outer casing 51.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the object to be conveyed is, for example, a single work such as a member to be cut in a machining process, instead of the electronic parts housed in the cassette. It may be present, and the type and the number thereof are not particularly limited.

The means for placing the object to be conveyed on the placing device may be a robot without using a carrier vehicle, and the system of the present invention is not necessarily limited to that used in a clean room. Not something.

[0033]

As described above, the positioning device having the pedestal for supporting the transported object is provided in the placing device of the transported system of the transported object of the present invention, and the pedestal is the first transporting means. Since the transferred object received from the second transfer means is transferred to the second transfer means, and the transferred object received from the second transfer means is moved to the original position received from the first transfer means. The object to be conveyed placed on the placing device can be smoothly positioned in correspondence with the first conveying means and the second conveying means, and the series of operations can be automated without any trouble.

Moreover, since the positioning device is provided with the movement permitting means having the rolling element which supports the pedestal, the dust is more likely to be dusted than when the transported object is slid and positioned. It can prevent the generation of dust and the like, and is most suitable for use in a clean room where electronic parts are handled.

Further, the apparatus for positioning a conveyed object according to the present invention has an advantage that it can be easily used in a conveyed object conveying system.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the positioning device.

3 is a plan view of a cross section taken along the line AA of FIG.

4A and 4B are external views of the positioning device, where FIG. 4A is a plan view and FIG. 4B is a front view.

FIG. 5 (a) is a plan view of the cassette before correction, (b)
It is a top view after correction of a cassette.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a positioning device showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a plan view of a cross section taken along the line BB of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a sectional front view of a positioning device showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the positioning device.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the positioning device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Transport vehicle (first transport means), 2 ... Placement device, 4 ... Cassette (object to be transported), 10 ... Positioning device, 13 ... Pedestal,
21 ... Bearing member (guide means), 22 ... Slide, 23
... Restoration means (spring), 25 ... Ball (rolling element)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A first transfer means for transferring an object to be transferred, and a placing device for receiving the object to be transferred from the first transfer means,
A transfer system for a transferred object, comprising: a second transfer means for receiving the transferred object supported by the placing device and again transferring the transferred object to the placing device. Is provided with a positioning device having a pedestal for supporting the transported object, and the pedestal receives the transported object received from the first transporting means to the second transporting means and the second transporting means. The object to be conveyed is movably provided at the original position received from the first conveying means, and further, the positioning device is provided with movement permitting means having a rollable rolling element that supports the pedestal. A system for transporting an object to be transported. 2. A positioning device that can be used in the transfer system for an object to be transferred according to claim 1, wherein the pedestal is located above the casing and can support the object to be transferred. And a slide connected to the pedestal, a guide means having a rolling element that supports the slide so that the slide and the pedestal can move in a horizontal direction, and a pedestal that has moved in any direction. 1. A positioning device for a conveyed object, comprising: a restoring means for restoring the former original position. 3. A positioning device that can be used in the transport system for a transported object according to claim 1, wherein the pedestal is located above the casing and can support the transported object. And, so that the pedestal can move in the horizontal direction, a movement permitting means connected to the pedestal, and a pedestal moved in any direction, a restoring means for restoring the original position before the movement, The apparatus for positioning a conveyed object, wherein the movement permitting means is provided with a rolling element that rolls the casing when the pedestal moves.