JP2006341333A - Locating clamp device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a locating clamp device which prevents dust from intruding, ensures a sufficiently strong clamp pressure, and clamps a work panel by ensuring a sufficiently high strength. <P>SOLUTION: The locating clamp device is equipped with: a workpiece receiving cylindrical body 3 with a workpiece mounting surface 2; a locating pin 4 which is mounted to the workpiece receiving cylindrical body 3 so that an end part 6a projects from the workpiece mounting surface 2, and inserted into a positioning hole H formed on the work panel WP, a clamp arm 6 which is provided in a slit 5 formed on the locating pin 4, and in which the tip end part 6a pressing the work panel WP mounted on the workpiece mounting surface 2 to the workpiece mounting surface 2 is movable between an advance position intruding the slit 5 and a retreat position pushing out from the slit 5, and a dust intrusion prevention member 50 which blocks the slit 5 when the arm clamp 6 is in an unclamping state at the advance position, and opens the slit 5 when the clamp arm 6 is in a clamping state at the retreat position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a locate clamp device for positioning and clamping a work panel at a predetermined position.

  For example, a positioning clamp device that is provided on a welding stage of an automobile production line and positions and clamps a panel material such as a steel plate has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  Such a positioning clamp device includes a workpiece receiving cylinder that places a workpiece on the tip, and a center portion of the workpiece receiving cylinder that is inserted into the center portion of the workpiece receiving cylinder so that the tip protrudes from the workpiece placement surface. This clamp arm has a locating pin for inserting and positioning a workpiece, and a clamp arm that is movable to a forward position that enters a slit formed in the locating pin, and a retracted position in which a tip portion protrudes from the slit. The workpiece placed on the workpiece placement surface is pressed and positioned and fixed at the tip of the workpiece.

  In this positioning clamp device, in order to clamp the workpiece, the tip of the clamp arm is pushed out from the slit formed in the locate pin, so dust etc. always enters the locate pin from the slit. Easy to do. Since the clamp arm is movable in the slit, if dust enters, smooth operation is hindered, and clamping may be impossible.

In order to prevent this, in the positioning clamp device described in Patent Document 1, a circular guide portion having a continuous outer peripheral surface is provided at the location of the locating pin corresponding to the positioning hole formed in the workpiece, and straddles the guide portion. As described above, the tip end portion of the clamp arm is bent in an inverted U shape so that the workpiece is clamped by the tip portion straddling the guide portion and the entry of dust is prevented by the guide portion.
JP 2002-321130 A (page 3 and page 4, FIGS. 4 and 7)

  However, in the positioning clamp device described in Patent Document 1, the tip of the clamp arm is thin with an inverted U shape, so the clamping pressure for clamping the workpiece cannot be increased, and a large, heavy workpiece is clamped. It is difficult to do.

  Moreover, in this positioning clamp apparatus, since a bending force is applied to a front-end | tip part at the time of clamping, there exists a possibility that a front-end | tip part may bend. Furthermore, in this positioning clamp device, since the tip end portion of the clamp arm gets over the guide portion and straddles, the length of the tip end portion becomes long and the strength becomes weak.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a locate clamp device that can prevent intrusion of dust and that can secure a sufficiently strong clamping pressure and can secure a high strength to clamp a work panel. With the goal.

  The present invention provides a workpiece receiving cylinder having a workpiece mounting surface on which a workpiece panel is mounted at the tip, and is attached to the workpiece receiving cylinder so that the tip protrudes from the workpiece mounting surface. A locating pin to be inserted into the formed positioning hole, and a distal end portion which is provided in a storage portion formed in the locating pin and presses the work panel placed on the work placement surface against the work placement surface, the storage portion A clamp arm that is movable to a retracted position, a clamp position that exits from the retractable part, and an unclamped state in which the clamp arm is in the retracted position; A closing member that opens the opening of the storage portion when the arm is in the clamped state at the clamp position.

  According to the locate clamp device of the present invention, when the clamp arm for clamping the work panel is in the unclamped state in the retracted position, the opening of the storage portion is closed, and when the clamp arm is in the clamped position in the clamp position. Since the opening of the storage portion is provided with a closing member that opens the opening of the storage portion, the opening of the storage portion is closed by the closing member when the work panel is unclamped. Can be reliably prevented.

  In addition, according to the locate clamp device of the present invention, it is not necessary to bend the distal end portion of the clamp arm into a U shape, so that the strength of the distal end portion can be sufficiently secured and the clamping pressure can be increased.

  Hereinafter, a specific locate clamp device to which the present invention is applied will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

“First Embodiment”
1 is a perspective view showing a locate clamp device according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing a part broken away at the position of line BB in FIG. 1, FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a locate pin, and FIG. It is a principal part expanded sectional view which shows a clamp state and a clamp state.

"Configuration of locate clamp device"
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the locate clamp device 1 according to the first embodiment is a device for positioning and clamping a work panel which is a panel material constituting an automobile body, for example. A workpiece receiving cylinder 3 having a workpiece mounting surface 2 on which the panel WP is mounted, and the workpiece receiving cylinder 3 are attached to the workpiece receiving cylinder 3 so that the tip end portion 4a protrudes upward from the workpiece mounting surface 2. The locating pin 4 to be inserted into the formed positioning hole H and the work panel WP which is provided in the slit 5 which is a storage portion formed in the locating pin 4 and which is placed on the work placing surface 2 are placed on the work placing. A forward end position (unclamp position shown in FIG. 7 (A)) in which the front end portion 6a pressed against the surface 2 enters the slit 5 and a clamp that goes out of the slit 5 When the clamp arm 6 is movable to the retracted position (clamp position shown in FIG. 7B), and the clamp arm 6 is in the unclamped state, the slit 5 (opening of the storage portion). A dust entry preventing member 7 that is a closing member that opens the slit 5 when the clamp arm 6 is in the retracted position, and a fixed workpiece cradle 8 that supports the workpiece receiving cylinder 3. And a clamp arm moving means for making the clamp arm 6 movable, and a work detecting means for detecting whether or not the work panel WP is placed on the work placing surface 2.

  It should be noted that closing the slit 5 as defined herein means closing at least a part of the slit 5, and does not intend to block all of the slit 5, and opening the slit 5 means clamping. The arm 6 is intended to be in a position where it is retracted so as not to get in the way when the work panel WP is pressed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the fixed work cradle 8 has a mounting flange portion 8a and a cylindrical portion 8b integrated therewith, and the mounting flange portion 8a is attached to a predetermined assembly stage in an automobile production line. It is arranged by bolting. A cylinder tube 9 constituting a clamp arm moving means for allowing the clamp arm 6 to move is fixed to the lower end surface of the mounting flange portion 8a.

  In the cylinder tube 9, as shown in FIG. 2, a piston 10 for moving the clamp arm 6 up and down is disposed so as to reciprocate in the axial direction (up and down direction). The piston 10 is attached with a piston rod 12 that passes through a rod cover 11 attached to one end of the cylinder tube 9 and is inserted into the cylindrical portion 8 b of the fixed workpiece cradle 8.

  In the cylinder tube 9, as shown in FIG. 2, a retreating air pressure chamber 13a is formed between the rod cover 11 and the piston 10, and a head cover 14 provided at the lower end of the cylinder tube 9 A forward air pressure chamber 13 b is formed between the piston 10 and the piston 10. In addition, the cylinder tube 9 is formed with supply / discharge ports 15a and 15b connected to the backward air pressure chamber 13a and the forward air pressure chamber 13b. Accordingly, when compressed air is supplied from one supply / discharge port 15a to the retreating air pressure chamber 13a, the piston rod 12 moves backward (downward movement), and compressed air is supplied from the other supply / discharge port 15b to the advancement air pressure chamber 13b. Then, the piston rod 12 moves forward (upward movement).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the head cover 14 is provided with a holding mechanism for keeping the work panel WP clamped by the clamp arm 6. The holding mechanism includes a lock rod 16 screwed to the lower end portion of the piston rod 12, a lock piston 17 that engages with an engagement recess 16a formed on a side surface of the lock rod 16, and the lock piston 17 that is connected to the piston rod. 12 and a compression coil spring 18 that moves in the direction orthogonal to the moving direction of 12 and engages the engaging convex portion 17a with the engaging concave portion 16a. Further, the head cover 14 has a flow passage 19 communicating with the one supply / discharge port 15 b for retreating the lock piston 17 opened in the air pressure chamber of the lock piston 17.

  In this holding mechanism, when the piston rod 12 moves to the retracted position shown in FIG. 2, the lock piston 17 is pushed forward by the compression coil spring 18, and the engagement convex portion 17 a at the tip thereof is the engagement concave portion 16 a of the lock rod 16. The piston rod 12 is fixedly held in the retracted position. When compressed air is supplied to the supply / exhaust port 15a in this locked state, the lock piston 17 moves backward to disengage the lock piston 17 from the lock rod 16, and the advance air chamber 13b The piston rod 12 moves upward by the compressed air flowing into the.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the workpiece receiving cylinder 3 is integrated with a cylindrical portion 3 a having a workpiece mounting surface 2 on which the workpiece panel WP is mounted at the tip, and a lower end of the cylindrical portion 3 a. The locating pin 4 is fitted into a through-hole 3c formed in the axial center of the mounting flange portion 3b having a two-stage diameter portion. The workpiece placement surface 2 is formed on the upper end surface of the cylindrical portion 3a and is a flat surface having an annular shape.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the locate pin 4 has a hemispherical tip 4a protruding upward from the workpiece placement surface 2, a pin body 4b having the tip 4a, and a base end of the pin body 4b. And a large-diameter flange portion 4c to be integrated. The locating pin 4 is attached to the upper end of the fixed workpiece cradle 8 with the flange portion 4c and overlapped with the mounting flange portion 3b of the workpiece receiving cylinder 3 by a fastening means such as a bolt. Fixed on top.

  And in this locate pin 4, in order to insert the said clamp arm 6 in the position from the front end side to the flange part 4c of the base end side along the axial center of the pin main-body part 4b except the front-end | tip part 4a. The slit 5 is formed. The slit 5 penetrates from one side of the pin main body portion 4b to the other, and guides both side surfaces in the thickness direction of the clamp arm 6 with its inner wall surface.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the clamp arm 6 includes a distal end portion 6 a that clamps the workpiece panel WP by pressing the workpiece panel WP against the workpiece placement surface 2, a proximal end portion 6 b that is coupled to the distal end portion of the piston rod 12, It consists of a highly rigid metal member which has the main-body part 6c which connects these front-end | tip parts 6a and the base end part 6b. The clamp arm 6 is configured such that the base end portion 6b is fitted into a slit 20 formed at the tip end portion of the piston rod 12, and the piston rod is connected to the piston rod 12 by a connecting pin 21 penetrating the base end portion 6b and the piston rod 12 together. 12 is connected.

  As shown in FIG. 5, both end portions of the connecting pin 21 are slidably supported in a long hole 22 formed in the cylindrical portion 8 b of the fixed work receiving base 8 along the axial direction. The length of the long hole 22 in the axial direction is substantially the same as the reciprocating stroke of the piston rod 12. When the piston rod 12 moves forward, the clamp arm 6 connected to the tip of the piston rod 12 moves forward (rises) in the slit 5, and when the piston rod 12 moves backward, the clamp arm 6 moves backward (lowers) in the slit 5. To do.

  The main body 6c of the clamp arm 6 is formed with a cam groove 24 for allowing the clamp arm 6 to move between a forward position for unclamping the work panel WP and a backward position for clamping the work panel WP. Yes. The cam groove 24 includes a straight cam groove 24a that is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the clamp arm 6 and an inclined cam groove 24b that is connected to the tip of the straight cam groove 24a and is inclined obliquely upward. The cam pin 23 is inserted and engaged with the cam pin 23 that is fixed to the tube portion 8 b of the receiving base 8.

  In a state where the clamp arm 6 is pushed up by the piston rod 12 and the cam pin 23 is positioned at the bottom of the straight cam groove 24b, as shown in FIG. 7A, the tip 6a that presses the work panel WP is It enters into the slit 5 and becomes an advance position located near the tip of the locate pin 4. In addition, the clamp arm 6 is pulled down by the piston rod 12 and descends, and when the cam pin 23 is positioned at the tip of the inclined cam groove 24b, as shown in FIG. 7B, the tip of the tip that presses the work panel WP. 6a becomes a retreat position where the work panel WP is pushed out from the slit 5 and presses the work panel WP against the work placement surface 2.

  Note that both ends of the connecting pin 21 and the cam pin 23 fixed in parallel to the connecting pin 21 are covered by a cover 25 attached to the fixed work receiving base 8.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the dust entry preventing member 7 is formed as a plate that is large enough to close the slit 5 (at least the opening near the clamp portion) on the side where the tip portion 6a for clamping the work panel WP is provided. And fixed to the tip of the piston rod 12. The dust entry preventing member 7 closes the slit 5 when the clamp arm 6 is in the unclamped state (the state shown in FIG. 7A), and the clamp arm 6 is retracted (see FIG. 7B). ) Is provided at a position lower than the workpiece placement surface 2 in the clamped state. The dust entry preventing member 7 has an arcuate outer surface in accordance with the locating pin 4 having a circular cross section, and the entry of dust (spatter, other dust, etc.) from the slit 5 is further increased. It is designed to prevent it.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the work detection means includes a detection rod 26, a sensor plunger 27, a compression coil spring 28, a magnet 29, and a magnetic sensor switch 30. The detection rod 26 is formed of, for example, an elongate pin whose tip is a sphere, and is provided to be slidable with respect to the workpiece receiving cylinder 3.

  The detection rod 26 is connected to a sensor plunger 27 provided on the cylindrical portion 8 b of the fixed workpiece cradle 8 via a connecting member 31. Further, a spring force is applied to the detection rod 26 in a direction protruding upward from the workpiece placement surface 2 by a compression coil spring 28 provided below the sensor plunger 27. A magnet 29 is attached to the lower end of the sensor plunger 27, and when the detection rod 26 is in the retracted position, a magnetic sensor switch 30 that outputs a detection signal in response to the magnetic force of the magnet 29 is provided. It is fixed to the outside of the cylindrical portion of the fixed work cradle 8.

"Description of operation"
Next, a method for positioning and clamping the work panel WP by the locate clamp device 1 configured as described above will be described.

  First, after the work panel WP is conveyed to a position where the locate clamp device 1 is provided, the above-described locate pin 4 is inserted into the positioning hole H formed in the work panel WP. At this time, since the tip shape of the locate pin 4 is a hemispherical shape, the locate pin 4 is securely inserted into the positioning hole H even if there is an error in the insertion position.

  Further, when the locate pin 4 is fitted into the positioning hole H, the piston rod 12 is set to the forward position by the piston 10, and the tip portion 6a of the clamp arm 6 has a slit 5 as shown in FIG. It is in a state of getting inside. The dust entry preventing member 7 fixed to the tip of the piston rod 12 is in a state of closing the slit 5 formed in the locate pin 4.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 8, when the locate pin 4 is inserted into the positioning hole H, the work panel WP is placed on the work placement surface 2. When the work panel WP is placed on the work placement surface 2, the detection rod 26 is moved backward by the work panel WP, the sensor plunger 27 connected thereto is also moved backward, and the magnet 29 activates the magnetic sensor switch 30. Will do. From the signal from the magnetic sensor switch 30, it can be confirmed that the work panel WP is positioned at a predetermined position.

  Next, in order to clamp the work panel WP, compressed air is supplied from the supply / discharge port 15a to move the piston rod 12 backward. Then, the clamp arm 6 connected to the tip of the piston rod 12 is pulled down together with the piston rod 12, and the tip 6 a is moved out of the slit 5 by the engagement of the cam pin 23 and the cam groove 24. Looming. When the clamp arm 6 moves to the retracted position, the work panel WP is pressed against the work placement surface 2 by the tip portion 6a of the clamp arm 6 and clamped, as shown in FIG. Since the dust entry preventing member 7 is lowered together with the piston rod 12, it waits at a position where it does not interfere with the clamp.

  According to the locate clamp apparatus 1 of the present embodiment configured as described above, the slit 5 is closed when the clamp arm 6 that clamps the work panel WP is in the unclamped state, and the clamp arm 6 is Since the dust entry preventing member 7 that opens the slit 5 in the clamped state in the retracted position is provided, the slit 5 is blocked by the dust entry preventing member 7 when the work panel WP is unclamped. Thus, it is possible to reliably prevent the intrusion of dust into the workpiece receiving cylinder 3.

  Further, according to the locate clamp device 1 of the present embodiment, it is not necessary to bend the distal end portion 6a of the clamp arm 6 into an inverted U shape, so that the strength of the distal end portion 6a can be sufficiently secured, and the work panel WP The clamping pressure for clamping can also be increased. As a result, the work panel WP can be reliably positioned and clamped without displacement.

  In addition, according to the locate clamp device 1 of the present embodiment, the dust entry preventing member 7 is fixed to the tip of the piston rod 12 which is a moving means for making the clamp arm 6 movable. Can be moved along with the movement of the piston rod 12, and the moving mechanism of the clamp arm 6 can be simplified.

“Second Embodiment”
The second embodiment is another example of a movable mechanism that makes the dust entry preventing member 7 movable. 9 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of a main part including a movable mechanism for a dust entry preventing member, FIG. 10A is an enlarged sectional view of a main part in an unclamped state before the work panel is clamped, and FIG. 10B is a work panel. It is a principal part expanded sectional view of the clamped state which clamps.

  In the second embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the dust entry preventing member 50 closes the slit 5 in an initial state by a compression coil spring 51 that is an elastic body provided in the workpiece receiving cylinder 3. On the other hand, when the clamp arm 6 is lowered to the retracted position while being lifted to the lifted end position, the clamp arm 6 is pushed down by the distal end portion 6a of the clamp arm 6 and opened to the lowered end position which is the opening position for opening the slit 5. It is configured to be lowered.

  The dust entry preventing member 50 has a slit closing portion 50a that closes the slit 5, and a spring receiving portion 50b that is formed by being bent at a substantially right angle to the lower end of the slit closing portion 50a, and is substantially L-shaped in cross section. It consists of a steel plate. The dust entry preventing member 50 may be formed of a resin molded product in addition to bending the steel plate. The dust entry preventing member 50 is disposed in the accommodation hole 52 communicating from the outer periphery to the through hole 3c of the shaft core from the cylindrical portion 3a to the mounting flange portion 3b of the workpiece receiving cylinder 3.

  A holding guide member is attached to the slit closing portion 50a so that the dust entry preventing member 50 is housed and held in the housing hole 52 and can move up and down. The holding guide member is a cylindrical slide having a diameter slightly smaller than the slit width of the receiving hole 52 having a screw 53 having a head having a diameter larger than the slit width of the receiving hole 52 and a female screw 54a into which the screw 53 is screwed. And a guide portion 54.

  The compression coil spring 51 is disposed in a spring accommodation hole 55 formed at a position one step below the bottom surface of the accommodation hole 52, and the spring receiving portion 50b of the dust entry preventing member 50 disposed on the compression coil spring 51 is always upward. It comes to be energized.

  In the unclamped state (initial state) of FIG. 10A, the dust entry preventing member 50 configured in this way is urged by the compression coil spring 51 and is at the rising end position where the slit closing portion 50 a closes the slit 5. The raised state is maintained, and the intrusion of dust into the slit 5 is prevented. The rising end position of the dust entry preventing member 50 is determined by the cylindrical slide guide portion 54 coming into contact with the upper end of the accommodation hole 52 formed in the cylindrical portion 3 a of the workpiece receiving cylinder 3.

  When the piston rod 12 is pulled down from this unclamped state and the clamp arm 6 is lowered, the dust entry preventing member 50 comes into contact with the tip portion 6a of the clamp arm 6 and is pushed down as the clamp arm 6 is lowered. At this time, the dust entry preventing member 50 slides while the cylindrical slide guide portion 54 is in sliding contact with both side surfaces of the accommodation hole 52 formed in the cylindrical portion 3a.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 10B, when the clamp arm 6 is lowered to the lower end position, the work panel WP is pressed against the work placement surface 2 by the tip 6a of the clamp arm 6. At the same time, the dust entry preventing member 50 is pushed down to a position where it does not get in the way.

  As described above, according to the locate clamp device 1 of the second embodiment, intrusion of dust can be prevented and the strength of the distal end portion 6a of the clamp arm 6 can be sufficiently increased as in the first embodiment. It is possible to ensure the clamping force of the work panel WP by increasing the clamping pressure.

  Although specific embodiments to which the present invention is applied have been described above, the above-described embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

It is a perspective view which shows the locate clamp apparatus of 1st Embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. It is a side view of FIG. It is a principal part expanded sectional view which shows the front-end | tip part of FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view showing a part of the BB line position in FIG. It is an expansion perspective view of a locate pin. It is a principal part expanded sectional view which shows the unclamped state and clamped state of a work panel. It is sectional drawing in the CC line position of FIG. 7 (B) when a work panel is clamped. It is a principal part expansion disassembled perspective view which shows the locate clamp apparatus of 2nd Embodiment, and includes the movable mechanism of a dust entry prevention member. FIG. 10A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part in an unclamped state before the work panel is clamped, and FIG. 10B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part in a clamped state of clamping the work panel.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Locate clamp apparatus 2 ... Workpiece mounting surface 3 ... Work receiving cylinder 4 ... Locate pin 5 ... Slit (storage part)
6 ... Clamp arm 6a ... Clamp arm tip 7, 50 ... Dust entry prevention member (blocking member)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 ... Piston rod 21 ... Connecting pin 23 ... Cam pin 24 ... Cam groove 50a ... Slit obstruction | occlusion part 50b ... Spring receiving part 52 ... Accommodating hole 53 ... Screw 54 ... Cylindrical slide guide part 55 ... Spring accommodating hole

Claims (3)

A workpiece receiving cylinder having a workpiece placement surface for placing a workpiece panel on the tip;
A locating pin that is attached to the workpiece receiving cylinder so that a tip portion projects from the workpiece placement surface, and is inserted into a positioning hole formed in the workpiece panel;
Provided in a storage portion formed on the locate pin, a distal end portion that presses the work panel placed on the work placement surface against the work placement surface, a storage position where the storage portion enters the storage portion, and from the storage portion A clamp position that goes out, a clamp arm that can move freely,
A closing member that closes the opening of the storage when the clamp arm is in the retracted position and opens the opening of the storage when the clamp arm is in the clamped position A locate clamp device characterized by comprising: The locate clamp device according to claim 1,
The locating clamp device is characterized in that the closing member is fixed to a piston rod of a moving means which is connected to a base end portion of the clamp arm and makes the clamp arm movable. The locate clamp device according to claim 1,
The closing member is disposed at a closed position where the opening of the storage portion is closed in an initial state by an elastic body provided on the workpiece receiving cylinder, and when the clamp arm moves to the clamp position, The locate clamp device is moved to an opening position that opens the opening of the storage unit while being pushed by the tip.

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