JP2004345082A - Locating device, and car body assembling device using locating device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a locating pin having a clamping function and a workpiece seating detecting function as well as a locating pin function, of such structure that is applicable to various kinds of workpieces. <P>SOLUTION: In the locating pin 26, a seating flange part 35 having a workpiece seating surface 35a is formed, and a clamp arm 39 is incorporated therein to make clamping and unclamping action in accordance with expansion/contraction action of a clamp cylinder 34. On the workpiece seating surface 35a, a detecting pin 47 that is projectable and retractable is provided, and a workpiece seating detecting mechanism 49 is formed of the detecting pin 47, a shaft 44, and a proximity switch 48. By mutual engagement of the locating pin 26 and a locating hole R, a panel W3 is positioned, and simultaneously, seating of the panel W3 is detected in accordance with motion of the detecting pin 47. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a locating device used for positioning a work in a vehicle body assembling process of an automobile, and a vehicle body assembling device using the locating device.

  As described in Patent Document 1, for example, as a vehicle body transfer facility in a vehicle body assembly process, a plurality of locator bodies having three degrees of freedom of movement in X, Y, and Z orthogonal axes are installed on a bogie. As shown in FIG. 13, the locator body is provided with a separate locating unit 101 having a locating pin 102 and a clamp arm 103, and a plurality of locating units 101 position and clamp a predetermined panel to convey the locator. Things are known.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 13, in order to detect whether or not the locate pin 102 of each locator unit 101 is securely inserted into the locate hole 104 of the mating panel W11 and the panel W11 is seated on the locate pin 102. A seating detecting means 105 such as a proximity switch is disposed adjacent to the locating pin 102 via a bracket 106 so as to detect whether the panel W11 is seated or not.

An embossed portion 108 that is seated on the work seating surface 107 of the locate pin 102 is formed concentrically with the locate hole 104 on the panel side W11. When the embossed portion 108 is properly seated on the work seating surface 107, the locate pin It is clamped by a clamp arm 103 built in 102.
Japanese Patent No. 2745841

  In the conventional structure as described above, it is possible to change the three-dimensional position of the locating pin 102 by using the three degrees of freedom of movement of the locator body in three orthogonal directions, which can be used for positioning a panel of another vehicle type. Although it is possible, the seating detection means 106 disposed adjacent to the locate pin 102 has its mounting position set according to the panel shape, and therefore needs to be remodeled each time the panel type is changed. Not enough in terms of surface.

  More specifically, for example, when the shape of the panel to be positioned and supported by the locating pin 102 is changed to the shape indicated by the imaginary line W12 in FIG. If the seating detection means 105 remains at the previous mounting position, it will interfere with the panel W12 because of the large overhang, and accordingly, the mounting of the seating detection means 105 each time according to the changed shape of the panel W12. It is necessary to change the position, which requires extra man-hours for equipment modification, which is not preferable.

  Further, when welding is performed on a portion close to the seating detection means 105 using, for example, a spot welding gun provided to a welding robot, or when a movement locus of the spot welding gun is set in a portion near the seating detection means 105. In the same manner, there is a possibility that the spot welding gun may interfere with the seating detection means 105, and the mounting form of the seating detection means 105 needs to be modified each time as described above. In some cases, the movement locus of the spot welding gun, that is, the teaching Even the correction of data must be performed, which is not preferable in practical use.

  On the other hand, from the viewpoint of versatility, further simplification and space saving of the vehicle body assembling apparatus itself are desired.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, so that not only the locating pin but also the seating detecting means to be attached to the locating pin can cope with various kinds of works, and the locating pin and the seating detecting means are provided. It is an object of the present invention to provide a locating device and a vehicle body assembling device using the locating device, which aim at generalization of the entire locating device including the locating device.

  An invention according to claim 1 is a locating device including a locating pin inserted into a locating hole formed in a work when positioning and supporting the work, wherein a work seating surface is formed on a base portion side of the locating pin. The work seating surface is provided with work seating detection means for detecting the work seating.

  The work seating detection means may be of a contact type, a non-contact type, a photoelectric type, a pneumatic type, or the like. What is necessary is just to be able to detect the ON / OFF state of the work seating or non-seating of the work on the work seating surface by the detection unit of the detection means.

  It is preferable that a clamp means such as a clamp arm for clamping a work positioned by the locate pin is provided inside the locate pin.

  Therefore, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, when the locating pin is inserted into the locating hole of the work on the other side and the work is seated on the work seating surface, the locating pin and the locating hole are engaged with each other. Are positioned, and at the same time, whether the work is seated or not seated on the work seating surface is detected by the work seating detecting means. According to the second aspect of the present invention, the work is clamped by the clamp means incorporated in the locate pin after the work is reliably positioned by mutual engagement between the locate pin and the locate hole.

  Since the work seating detection means is provided on the work seating surface at the base of the locate pin, the occupied space is extremely small.For example, regardless of the type of work, the size of the locate pin and the size of the locate hole are common in advance. In this case, the work seating detection means can be used in common with a plurality of works of different types together with the locate pin.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, based on the premise of the first or second aspect, the work seating detecting means includes a detection pin which can come and go from the work seating surface. The present invention is characterized in that the seating of the work is detected in accordance with the movement of the detection pin when the seat is seated.

  For example, the end of the detection pin that protrudes and disappears from the work seating surface is opposed to a micro switch or a proximity switch, and the detection pin is detected at a position away from the work seating surface.

  Therefore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, seating and non-seating of the work are mechanically detected by the protruding and retracting operation of the detection pin, so that the reliability of the seating detection is enhanced.

  The invention described in claim 4 is an apparatus for performing relative positioning between a plurality of panel-shaped works which constitute a part of a vehicle body of an automobile, before welding the plurality of panel-shaped works. On the premise that a locator mainly provided with a locating pin for positioning and supporting a work is provided, and a locator having a function capable of arbitrarily changing at least a two-dimensional position of the locator by autonomous operation is independently provided for each work. The locator is autonomously operated to locate between the work setting position where the work is set to each locator and the relative positioning completion position where each work is finally positioned relative to each other. The apparatus is configured to move forward and backward individually to perform relative positioning between the respective works. The locating device includes the locating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 as the locating device.

  As the locator, the locator has three degrees of freedom of movement of orthogonal axes as in the invention of claim 5, and the three-dimensional position of the corresponding locating device can be arbitrarily changed by autonomous operation. It is desirable that the moving of the locating device includes not only one-dimensional operation but also two-dimensional operation or three-dimensional operation.

  Similarly, as in the invention according to claim 6, a plurality of locators are provided for each work, and the plurality of locators move the locating device forward and backward in synchronization with each other at the time of relative positioning of the works. It is desirable for the work to be positioned stably.

  Furthermore, as a form of relative positioning between a plurality of works, for example, when relative positioning is performed by assembling a plurality of relatively small works with respect to a large work serving as a base, the work serving as the base may be a work. Even if the set position and the positioning completion position are set to the same position, the other work approaches the work which is positioned and fixed substantially at the fixed position and becomes the base body, and the relative positions of the works may be performed. Good.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, the two-dimensional position or three-dimensional position of the locating device required at the work set position and the positioning completion position for each locator is stored and set in advance, The corresponding work is set by a handling robot or a manual operation to each locator waiting at the set position and positioned and supported. In this case, when a specific work is set, for example, manually by an operator, the locator corresponding to the work can be positioned at a position where the operator can easily work. .

  Then, using the two-dimensional or three-dimensional degrees of freedom of the locator itself, each locator is moved forward or backward from the work set position toward the positioning completion position, that is, approach operation is performed, and the locator of each locator is moved to the relative positioning completion position. In this state, the relative positioning of the plurality of works is completed in this state, and, for example, welding by the spot welding gun is performed in the relative positioning state.

  The invention according to claim 7 is an apparatus for performing relative positioning between a plurality of panel-shaped works, which form a part of a vehicle body of an automobile, before welding the plurality of works together. On the premise that a locator mainly provided with a locating pin for positioning and supporting a work is provided, and a locator having a function capable of arbitrarily changing at least a two-dimensional position of the locator by autonomous operation is independently provided for each work. The locator is autonomously operated to locate between the work setting position where the work is set to each locator and the relative positioning completion position where each work is finally positioned relative to each other. The apparatus is characterized in that the apparatus is individually moved forward and backward to perform relative positioning between the respective works.

  Therefore, in the invention according to claim 7, each locator functions in the same manner as the invention according to claim 4, except for the function of the locating device itself.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the work seating detecting means for detecting the work seating on the work seating surface is provided on the work seating surface on the base portion side of the locate pin, it protrudes around the locate pin as in the related art. Thus, the positioning function and the seating detection function using the locate pin can be exhibited substantially only in the region of the locate pin. Therefore, if the size of the locating pin and the locating hole are standardized in advance regardless of the type of the work, it is possible to use the work seating detection function that only the locating pin can use in common for multiple types of work. It is extremely versatile, and does not require any modification of the equipment in accordance with the conventional work change.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the clamp means for clamping the work is provided inside the locate pin, in addition to the locate pin function and the work seating detection function, the work clamp function is integrated with the locate pin as a base. Therefore, in addition to the same effect as the first aspect of the present invention, there is an advantage that the locate pin with a clamp function can be further reduced in size and space.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the work seating detecting means mechanically detects the seating state of the detection pin according to the movement of the detection pin when the work is seated or not seated. Or, in addition to the same effect as the invention described in 2 above, there is an advantage that more reliable detection is possible and the reliability of the seating detection is increased.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, at least a two-dimensional locator of each locator has a plurality of locators having a function capable of arbitrarily changing at least a two-dimensional position of the locating device mounted on the tip by autonomous operation. The relative positioning of each work is performed separately by moving the locating device independently by its autonomous operation using the degree of freedom of movement, so that the relative positioning of the work supported by the locator separately from each locator can be performed. There is no need to provide a shift device for performing the operation, and there is an effect that simplification and downsizing of equipment and significant space saving can be achieved.

  Further, by employing the locating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, it is possible to easily confirm the presence or absence of the work with respect to the locator (out-of-stock detection) using the seating detection function. As a result, the reliability of the vehicle body assembling device is improved, the generalization of the missing item detection function can be achieved, and the work set position for each locator can be arbitrarily changed as necessary. For example, when a work is manually set on the locator, the work setting position can be set to an optimum position according to the physique or the like of the worker, and workability is improved.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since each locator has three degrees of freedom of operation in three orthogonal axes, in addition to the same effect as the invention of the fourth aspect, the degree of freedom as a vehicle body assembling apparatus is provided. As a result, there is an advantage that versatility is further improved.

  According to the invention described in claim 6, the plurality of locators move the locating device forward and backward in synchronization with each other at the time of relative positioning of the workpieces, so that the same effect as the invention described in claim 5 can be obtained. In addition, there is an advantage that the positioning stability of the work at the time of relative positioning is further improved.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the remaining configuration is basically the same as that of the fourth aspect of the invention except for the locating device. Therefore, the same effects as those of the fourth aspect of the invention are provided. Is obtained.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a preferred embodiment of a vehicle body assembling apparatus including a locating apparatus according to the present invention, and a dash lower panel (hereinafter simply referred to as a workpiece) serving as a base of components of a dash panel D of an automobile. A substantially U-shaped dash upper cross member (hereinafter, simply referred to as a cross member or panel) W2 and a pair of left and right cowl top side panels (hereinafter, simply referred to as side panels or panels) W3 as a work similarly to the lower panel W1. , W4 are shown before being welded and joined to each other by spot welding.

  In a state where the dash panel D is assembled as a part of the vehicle body, the cross member W2 is located on the lower panel W1 which separates the room from the engine room, and the side panels W3, W4 are provided on both sides thereof. Will be located.

  The vehicle body assembling apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is roughly divided into a jig base 1 serving as a center of a locator jig J, a first table 2 on which lower panels W1 are aligned and mounted, a cross member W2 other than the lower panel W1, and a side panel. A second mounting table 3 on which W3 and W4 are aligned and mounted, a floor-standing type handling robot 4, and a plurality of shelf-type welding robots 5 installed in a space above the jig base 1 (see FIG. 1, only one is shown).

  Then, the lower panel W1 on the first table 2 is gripped by the handling robot 4 and positioned at the relative positioning completion position P1 on the jig base 1, and the operator M waits for the positioning of the lower panel W1 to move to the second position. A cross member W2 on the table 3 and a pair of left and right side panels W3, W4 are set as a set to perform primary positioning at work set positions P2, P3 on the jig base 1. Thereafter, when the worker M turns on a predetermined start switch, the lower panel W1, the cross member W2, and the pair of left and right side panels W3, W4 are finally positioned relative to each other by the autonomous operation of the locating jig described later. Is performed at the relative positioning completion position P1, and spot welding by the welding robot 5 is performed. Note that, depending on the type of vehicle, the positioning of the cross member W2 or the side panels W3 and W4 with respect to the jig base 1 can also be performed by the common handling robot 4 with the lower panel W1.

  2 shows details of the locator jig J, FIG. 3 shows a front view of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 shows a right side view of FIG. 2, respectively. A pair of locators 6A, 6B and 7A, 7B, a pair of locators 8A, 8B for positioning the cross member, and a pair of locators 9A, 9B and 10A, 10B for positioning the side panels for the respective side panels W3, W4. Each is arranged. Each of these locators 6A, 6B to 10A, and 10B has a ball screw type X-axis unit, a Y-axis unit, and a Z-axis unit driven by an NC motor such that the Z-axis unit is the uppermost one. The locator mother machine has a form such as a manipulator having three (orthogonal) axes of freedom of movement by combining with the above. Thus, each locator 6A, 6B to 10A, 10B has a function of independently changing the three-dimensional position of the locating device 27 at the tip by its autonomous operation. In the locators 6A, 6B and 7A, 7B for positioning the lower panel, the locating pins 26 of the locating device 27 face upward, whereas the locators 8A, 8B to 10A for positioning the cross member and for positioning the side panel. , 10B, the locate pin 26 is set horizontally.

  Among the plurality of locators 6A, 6B to 10A and 10B, for example, the details of the locator 9A for positioning the side panel will be described with reference to FIGS. An X-axis slider 14 slidably driven by the ball screw 12 is provided on the X-axis base 13, and an X-axis unit 15 is formed by the X-axis motor 11, the X-axis base 13, and the X-axis slider 14. I have. The X-axis slider 14 is mounted with a Y-axis base 18 having a built-in ball screw 17 driven to rotate by a Y-axis motor 16, and the Y-axis base 18 is provided with a Y-axis slider 19. A Y-axis unit 20 is formed by the Y-axis motor 16, the Y-axis base 18, and the Y-axis slider 19. Further, a Z-axis base 23 having a built-in ball screw driven and rotated by a Z-axis motor 22 is provided upright on the Y-axis slider 19 via a bracket 21. A slider 24 is provided, and a Z-axis unit 25 is formed by the Z-axis motor 22, the Z-axis base 23, and the Z-axis slider 24. A locating device 27 mainly including a locating pin 26 having a clamping function as described later is mounted laterally on the upper end of the Z-axis slider 24. As described above, the locator 9A for positioning the side panel can arbitrarily change the three-dimensional position of the locate pin 26 by cooperation of the X-axis unit 15, the Y-axis unit 20, and the Z-axis unit 25. The structure of the locator 9A for positioning the side panel including such a locating device 27 is basically the same for the other locators.

  Here, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a pair of clamp devices 28 are provided on the jig base 1 adjacent to the locators 6A, 6B and 7A, 7B for positioning the lower panel. This clamp device 28 is provided with a swing type clamper 31 driven by an air cylinder 30 at the upper end of a post 29 erected from the jig base 1, and a lower panel W1, which is a base of the dash panel D, includes locators 6A, At the same time that the pair of clampers 28 are positioned and supported by 6B and 7A, 7B, they are also clamped by the pair of clampers 28.

  FIGS. 8 to 10 show details of a locating device 27 attached to the tip of each of the locators 6A, 6B to 10A and 10B, and a hollow cylindrical post 33 having a mounting flange and an air cylinder or hydraulic pressure. A clamp cylinder 34 having a substantially prismatic shape of a cylinder type is coupled so as to have the same axial center, and a tapered locating pin having a seating flange portion 35 at a root portion at the end of the post portion 33. 26 are connected by a plurality of bolts 37 via spacers 36.

  A slot 38 is formed in a part of the locating pin 26 so as to penetrate in the diameter direction. The slot 38 communicates with the internal space of the post 33, and the slot 38 and the post 33 A substantially hook-shaped clamp arm 39 as shown in FIG. 11 is inserted as a clamp means into a portion corresponding to the internal space. The clamp arm 39 has its hook-shaped distal end exposed to the outside through the opening 40 at the root of the locate pin 26, and has the other end connected to the piston rod 41 of the clamp cylinder 34, and further has a substantially rectangular shape. The groove cam 42 formed in the shape of a circle is engaged with a fixing pin 43 which is laid in the diameter direction of the post portion 33. Thereby, if the clamp cylinder 34 is extended and contracted, the clamp arm 39 performs the clamp and unclamping operations between the clamp position C1 and the unclamped position C2 accordingly, and particularly in the clamp state, as shown in FIG. A predetermined panel, for example, the side panel W3 is clamped by the distal end portion of the clamp arm 39 and the seat flange portion 35 in a pressed state.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, an embossed portion E is formed at the periphery of the locate hole R to be inserted into the locate pin 26 on the mating panel W3 to be positioned by the locate pin 26. The embossed portion E is seated on the seating flange portion 35 on the side of the locating pin 26 at the same time when the locating pin 26 and the locating hole R are mutually fitted, so that the final positioning by the locating pin 26 is performed. I have.

  A shaft 44 having a stepped shaft is slidably disposed in the post 33 of the locating device 27 so as to be parallel to the axis of the locating pin 26. It is biased to the left in the figure. A connecting plate 46 is connected to the small-diameter end of the shaft 44, and a work seat of the seating flange 35 parallel to the shaft 44 and located on the locate pin 26 side at a position offset from the shaft 44. A detection pin 47 that can come and go from the surface 35a is connected. The detection pin 47 projects from the seating flange 35 when the panel W3 is not seated on the seating flange 35. However, when the predetermined panel W3 is seated on the seating flange 35, the detection pin 47 is inserted into the seating flange 35. The shaft 44 is retracted, and accordingly, the entire shaft 44 is retracted.

  Further, a proximity switch 48 is disposed at a position of the post 33 facing the large-diameter end of the shaft 44, and a detection pin 47 projects from the seat flange 35 as shown in FIG. When the large-diameter end of the shaft 44 is separated from the proximity switch 48, the proximity switch 48 is OFF, but when the detection pin 47 sinks into the seat flange 35 as described above, it responds accordingly. The proximity switch 48 is turned on by sensing the approach based on the sliding operation of the shaft 44.

  That is, a work seat detection mechanism 49 is formed as a work seat detection means for detecting whether the panel W3 is seated or not seated on the seat flange 35 with the shaft 44, the detection pin 47, and the proximity switch 48. With the detection pin 47 and the sliding displacement of the shaft 44 accompanying the seating of the panel W3 with respect to 35, the proximity switch 48 detects ON / OFF of the sitting or non-seat of the panel W3.

  Therefore, according to the vehicle body assembling apparatus configured as described above, when the lower panel W1 serving as the base of the dash panel D is loaded onto the jig base 1 by the handling robot 4, as shown in FIG. Each of the positioning locators 6A and 6B positions and holds the locating pin 26 of the locating device 27 corresponding to a position where the lower panel W1 can be positioned at the final relative positioning completion position P1 with another panel. The locators 8A and 8B for positioning members and the locators 9A and 9B and 10A and 10B for positioning side panels position the locating pins 26 of the locating device 27 corresponding to the work set positions P2 and P3 different from the above-described positioning completion position P1. keeping.

  That is, the locators 8A and 8B for positioning the cross member are positions that are retracted in the Y direction by a predetermined amount from the relative positioning completion position P1 of the panels, and are shifted by a predetermined amount in the Z direction from the relative positioning completion position P1. The locator pins 26 of the locating device 27 corresponding to the position lowered only by the positioning are respectively held, while the locators 9A, 9B and 10A, 10B for positioning the side panel are more than a predetermined distance from the relative positioning completion position P1 between the panels. The positioning pin 26 of the locating device 27 corresponding to a position that is retracted only in the X direction and that is lowered by a predetermined amount in the Z direction from the relative positioning completion position P1 is positioned and held.

  When the lower panel W1 is loaded and set on the jig base 1 by the handling robot 4, as shown in FIG. 9, the locator holes R formed in advance at predetermined positions on the lower panel W1 side are located at the respective locators 6A and 6B. The embossed portion E formed around the locating hole R is seated on the seating flange 35 at the root of the locating pin 26. This completes the primary positioning of the lower panel W1 with respect to the locators 6A, 6B and 7A, 7B for positioning the lower panel. At this time, the clamp devices 28 disposed adjacent to the locators 6A, 6B and 7A, 7B for positioning the lower panel are in an unclamped state.

  When the primary positioning of the lower panel W1, which is the base of the dash panel D, is thus completed, the operator manually places the cross member W2 and the pair of left and right side panels W3, W4 on the respective locators 9A, 9A, Set for 9B and 10A, 10B. That is, as for the cross member W2, the locating hole R formed in advance is inserted into the locating pins 26 of the locators 8A and 8B for positioning the cross member at the work set position P2, and as shown in FIG. The embossed portion E around the hole R is set so as to be seated on the seat flange portion 35. As for the pair of left and right side panels W3 and W4, the locating holes R formed in advance are inserted into the locating pins 26 of the locators 9A and 9B for positioning the side panels also at the work set position P3, as shown in FIG. As shown, the embossed portion E around the locate hole R is set so as to be seated on the seat flange portion 35.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a state in which the primary positioning of the lower panel W1, the cross member W2, and the pair of left and right side panels W3 and W4, which are dash panel components, is completed. Although the cross member W2 and the side panels W3 and W4 are located at the positioning completion position P1, the other cross members W2 and side panels W3 and W4 are all located at the work set positions P2 and P3. As a result, the panels W1 to W4 are positioned relative to each other. They are not separated from each other.

  Subsequently, when the worker M turns on a start switch (not shown) after completion of the setting of the panels W1 to W4, the clamp arms 39 built in the respective locate pins 26 perform a clamp operation as shown in FIG. Then, the embossed portion E around the locate hole R is clamped between the clamp arm 39 and the seat flange portion 35. At the same time, a pair of clamp devices 28 disposed adjacent to the locators 6A, 6B and 7A, 7B for positioning the lower panel also perform a clamping operation to clamp the lower panel W1. With this, the final positioning clamp of the corresponding panel W1 to W4 for each locator 6A, 6B to 10A, 10B is completed.

  At this time, the work seat detection mechanism 49 of FIG. 9 attached to each of the locator pins 26 operates to detect the presence or absence of the corresponding panel W1 to W4 with respect to each of the locators 6A, 6B to 10A and 10B. If, for example, any of the locating pins 26 does not detect that the corresponding panel is seated, a predetermined alarm is issued to urge the worker M to confirm the presence status of the panel at the corresponding locator.

  Thereafter, on condition that the presence of all the panels W1 to W4 has been confirmed, first, the pair of locators 8A and 8B for positioning the cross member move the leading locating device 27 in the Z direction while synchronizing with each other. While ascending by a predetermined amount, the locating device 27 and thus the cross member W2 positioned and held by the locating pin 26 are moved forward together with the locating pin 26 in the X direction to the relative positioning completion position P1, as shown in FIG. 12 (A). As described above, the relative position between the lower panel W1 and the cross member W2 is performed by pressing the cross member W2 against the lower panel W1 already at the relative positioning completion position P1. At this time, the relative positioning completion state between the lower panel W1 and the cross member W2 is self-held by the locators 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B and 8A, 8B which position and support the panels W1, W2.

  The locators 8A, 8B for positioning the cross member once raise the cross member W1 in the Z direction and then advance in the X direction because the locators 8A, 8B for positioning the cross member are cross members. The work set position P2 when setting W2 can be set lower than the final relative positioning completion position P1, and the workability of the worker M can be improved while reducing the burden on the worker M. Of course, it goes without saying that the height of the work set position P2 can be set to an arbitrary height according to the physique or the like of the worker M.

  When the relative positioning between the lower panel W1 and the cross member W2 is completed, a pair of left and right locators 9A, 9B and 10A, 10B for positioning the side panel are synchronized with each other in the same manner as described above. The locating device 27 is moved up by a predetermined amount in the Z direction, and further, the locating device 27 and the side panels W3 and W4 positioned and held by the locating pin 26 are moved forward together with the locating pin 26 to the relative positioning completion position P1 in the Y direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 12B, the side panels W3 and W4 are pressed against the lower panel W1 and the cross member W2 that are already at the relative positioning completion position P1, and the lower panel W1 and the cross member that are already in the relative positioning completion state. A pair of left and right side pads for W2 Performing Le of Y, the relative positioning of the Z-direction.

  Subsequently, when the relative positioning of the side panels W3 and W4 in the Y and Z directions is completed as described above, the pair of left and right locators 9A, 9B and 10A and 10B for the side panel positioning are paired similarly to the above. In synchronization with each other, the locating device 27 at the distal end and the side panels W3 and W4 positioned and held by the locating pin 26 are moved forward together with the locating pin 26 in the X direction to the relative positioning completion position P1. As shown in), the side panels W3 and W4 are pressed against the lower panel W1 and the cross member W2 which are already at the relative positioning completion position P1 also in the X direction, and the lower panel W1 and the cross member W2 which are already in the relative positioning completion state. Position of the pair of left and right side panels W3 and W4 in the X direction Do.

  As described above, the final relative positioning of the lower panel W1, the cross member W2, and the pair of left and right side panels W3, W4, which are the dash panel components, in the three-dimensional directions of X, Y, and Z is completed. W4 is in close contact with the regular joining position. Then, a welding command is given to the welding robot 5 of FIG. 1 which has been waiting until then, and the joint between the panels is spot-welded and welded. As a result, the lower panel W1 and the cross member W2 and A dash panel D including a pair of left and right side panels W3 and W4 is assembled.

  Here, each of the locators 6A, 6B to 10A and 10B in the present embodiment can arbitrarily change the three-dimensional position of the locating device 27 (locating pin 26) at its tip. In addition to the functions described above, a clamp arm 39 serving as a clamping means and a work seating detection mechanism 49 are substantially built in, and the clamp arm 39 and the detection pin 47 of the work seating detection mechanism 49 serve as a seating flange at the root of the locate pin 26. Since it functions effectively within the area of the portion 35, no extraneous matter protrudes outside the locating pin 26, and the locating device 27 itself can have a small and simple configuration.

  Therefore, for example, even when assembling a dash panel D of a vehicle type different from the dash panel D assembled up to that time, or assembling a dash panel D of a different vehicle type in a so-called mixed production mode, the dash panel components of each vehicle type By locating the size of the locating hole R and the size of the embossed portion E in advance, the locating pin 26 can be mounted on all vehicle models without any modification including its work clamping function and work occupancy detection function. Can be used in common, and this is extremely advantageous in terms of versatility of equipment.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory plan view showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle body assembling apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory plan view of a locate jig serving as a base of the vehicle body assembly apparatus shown in FIG. 1. Front explanatory drawing of FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory right side view of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is an explanatory plan view showing details of a locator for positioning a side panel in FIG. 2. Front explanatory drawing of FIG. FIG. 7 is a left side explanatory view of FIG. 6. FIG. 5 is an enlarged explanatory view of a locating device used in each locator shown in FIGS. FIG. 9 is a half sectional explanatory view of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a left side explanatory view of FIG. 9. FIG. 10 is an enlarged explanatory view of the clamp arm shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a procedure for assembling panels in the vehicle body assembly apparatus shown in FIG. Configuration explanatory view showing an example of a conventional locating device.

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Jig base 6A ... Locator for lower panel positioning 6B ... Locator for lower panel positioning 7A ... Locator for lower panel positioning 8B ... Locator for cross member positioning 8B ... Locator for cross member positioning 9A Locator for side panel positioning 9B Locator for side panel positioning 10A Locator for side panel positioning 10B Locator for side panel positioning 15 X-axis unit 20 Y-axis unit 25 Z-axis unit 26 Locating pin 27 ... Locating device 35 ... Seat flange part 35a ... Work seat surface 39 ... Clamp arm (clamp means)
44 ... shaft 47 ... detection pin 48 ... proximity switch 49 ... work seating detection mechanism (work seating detection means)
D: Dash panel E: Embossed part P1: Relative positioning completion position P2: Work set position P3: Work set position R: Locate hole W1: Dash lower panel W2: Dash upper cross member (work)
W3 ... Cowl top side panel (work)
W4 ... Cowl top side panel (work)

Claims (7)

A locating device having a locating pin inserted into a locating hole formed in the work when positioning and supporting the work,
A locating device, wherein a work seating surface is formed on a base portion side of the locating pin, and a work seating detecting means for detecting work sitting is provided on the work seating surface.   2. The locating device according to claim 1, wherein a clamping means for clamping a work positioned by the locating pin is provided inside the locating pin.   The work seat detection means includes a detection pin which is capable of protruding and retracting from the work seating surface, and detects the seating of the work in accordance with the movement of the detection pin when the work is seated or not. The locating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein Prior to welding and joining a plurality of panel-shaped works that will constitute a part of the body of the automobile, a device that performs relative positioning between the plurality of works,
A locator having a locating device mainly comprising a locating pin for positioning and supporting the work and a locator having a function capable of arbitrarily changing at least a two-dimensional position of the locating device by autonomous operation are provided independently for each work,
The locator is independently operated by the autonomous operation of each locator between the work setting position where the work is set on each locator and the relative positioning completion position where each work is finally positioned relative to each other. To move relative to each other by moving forward and backward,
A body assembling device comprising the locating device according to claim 1 as the locating device.   5. The locator according to claim 4, wherein each of the locators has a degree of freedom of movement of three orthogonal axes, and the three-dimensional position of the corresponding locating device can be arbitrarily changed by autonomous operation. Body assembly equipment.   6. The locator according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of locators are provided for each workpiece, and the plurality of locators move the locating device forward and backward in synchronization with each other when the workpieces are relatively positioned. Body assembly equipment. Prior to welding and joining a plurality of panel-shaped works that will constitute a part of the body of the automobile, a device that performs relative positioning between the plurality of works,
A locator having a locating device mainly comprising a locating pin for positioning and supporting the work and a locator having a function capable of arbitrarily changing at least a two-dimensional position of the locating device by autonomous operation are provided independently for each work,
The locator is independently operated by the autonomous operation of each locator between the work setting position where the work is set on each locator and the relative positioning completion position where each work is finally positioned relative to each other. A body assembling apparatus configured to move relative to each other by moving forward and backward.

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