JP2007125634A - Assembling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an assembling apparatus capable of expanding a work space in assembling work performed by a plurality of robots. <P>SOLUTION: This assembling apparatus 1 includes: a horizontal articulated robot 4 installed in an erect attitude on a work bench WD; and a vertical articulated robot 5 fitted in an inverted attitude on a frame 21 located above the work bench WD. In a common movable range on the work bench WD where movable ranges of the robots 4, 5 overlap each other, the robots 4, 5 can co-operate with each other to perform the assembling work of parts. The thus constructed assembling apparatus 1 can secure the extended work space SP 2 to the work space SP1 in the case of installing two robots on the work bench WD. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an assembling apparatus in which an assembling operation is performed on a work table by a plurality of industrial robots.

  2. Description of the Related Art An assembling apparatus that automatically assembles an assembly composed of a multi-point component by a robot is known.

  For example, in the assembly apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, assembly work is performed using two robots (a horizontal articulated robot and a vertical articulated robot) arranged in an upright posture on a work table.

JP 2000-354919 A

  However, in the assembling apparatus of Patent Document 1, two robots are fixed on the work table, so that the installation portion of the two robots on the work table cannot be used as a work space, and the work space becomes narrow.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an assembling apparatus capable of expanding a work space in assembling work by a plurality of robots.

  In order to solve the above problems, the invention of claim 1 is an assembling apparatus in which assembling work is performed on a work table by a plurality of industrial robots, and the plurality of industrial robots are arranged in an upright posture. A first robot and a second robot disposed in an inverted position above the work table, and a movable range of the first robot and a movable range of the second robot are on the work table. Overlapping common movable ranges are defined.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the assembling apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, the first robot is a horizontal articulated robot, and the second robot is a vertical articulated robot.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the assembling apparatus according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, the apparatus includes a predetermined work-related unit in which articles related to the assembling work are stored.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the assembling apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, the predetermined work-related unit includes a first work-related unit and a second work-related unit. The work-related unit and the second work-related unit are arranged to face each other with the first robot and / or the second robot interposed therebetween.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the assembling apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, a rectangular parallelepiped three-dimensional structure including the first robot and the second robot is provided by a plurality of frame members. A frame structure is formed, and the second robot is attached to the upper part of the frame structure in an inverted posture.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the assembling apparatus according to the fifth aspect of the invention, the work-related unit that is connected to the frame structure and stores articles related to the assembling work can be detachably mounted. A part.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the assembling apparatus according to the fifth or sixth aspect of the present invention, the first robot and / or the second robot is arranged along a predetermined route along the frame member related to the frame structure. A cable extending from the robot is laid.

  According to invention of Claim 1 thru | or 7, it has the 1st robot arrange | positioned with an upright attitude | position, and the 2nd robot arrange | positioned with an inverted attitude | position above a workbench, On a workbench, the 1st A common movable range in which the movable range of the robot and the movable range of the second robot overlap is defined. As a result, the work space can be expanded in assembly work by a plurality of robots.

  In particular, in the invention of claim 2, the first robot is a horizontal articulated robot, and the second robot is a vertical articulated robot. As a result, in the combination of a horizontal articulated robot with a high degree of freedom in the vertical direction but a low degree of freedom in the vertical direction and a vertical articulated robot with a high degree of freedom in the vertical direction, the accuracy of the assembly work is improved. The work space can be expanded while maintaining.

  In the invention of claim 3, since a predetermined work-related unit in which articles related to the assembly work are stored is provided, various assembly work can be easily handled by replacing the work-related unit.

  In the invention of claim 4, since the first work-related unit and the second work-related unit are arranged to face each other with the first robot and / or the second robot interposed therebetween, Many work-related units can be placed.

  In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the second robot is mounted in an inverted posture on an upper part of a frame structure in which a cuboid three-dimensional structure including the first robot and the second robot is formed by a plurality of frame members. Therefore, modularization of the robot unit including the first robot and the second robot can be achieved.

  Further, in the invention of claim 6, since the work-related unit which is connected to the frame structure and can removably mount the work-related unit containing the articles related to the assembly work is provided, the work-related unit can be replaced. It can be done easily.

  In the invention of claim 7, since a cable extending from the first robot and / or the second robot is laid on a predetermined route along the frame member related to the frame structure, the operating range of the robot is reduced. Can be expanded.

<Configuration of assembly equipment>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main configuration of an assembling apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the drawing, the appearance of the robots 4 and 5 is clearly shown by transmitting a part of the frame structure 2.

  The assembling apparatus 1 includes a frame structure 2 having a three-dimensional frame structure, and a module mounting portion 3 that is connected to a lower portion of the frame structure 2 and can mount work-related modules (described later). The assembling apparatus 1 includes two industrial robots (hereinafter simply referred to as “robots”) 4 and 5 attached to the frame structure 2, and a control unit 6 that performs overall control of these robots 4 and 5. ing. The control unit 6 is connected to the robot controllers (control devices) 61 and 63 for controlling the robots 4 and 5 and the robot controllers 61 and 63, for example, so as to be able to communicate with each other, and controls the cooperative operation of the robots 4 and 5. And a control device 62.

<Principal structure of frame structure 2 and module mounting portion 3>
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main configuration of the frame structure 2.

  In the frame structure 2, a three-dimensional structure is formed by a group of, for example, aluminum frame members (hereinafter simply referred to as “frames”) 21 having a square bar shape. Below, the structure of the frame structure 2 is demonstrated in detail.

  In the frame structure 2, a rectangular parallelepiped solid that includes the robots 4 and 5 by a plurality of frames 21 including four frames 21 a arranged around the robots 4 and 5 along the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). A structure is formed.

  The frame structure 2 includes four frames 21b for fixing three metal plates 22. The three plates 22 are supported by the frame 21b, so that the robots 4 and 5 function as a work table WD for performing assembly work, and in the space CP formed below the three plates 22. The control devices 61 to 63 (FIG. 1) can be arranged.

  Further, a frame 21c for suspending the robot 5 shown in FIG.

  With the configuration of the frame structure 2 as described above, the robot unit including the two robots 4 and 5 and the control unit 6 can be modularized. In addition, if a structure in which a mesh member covering the frame structure 2 can be attached is provided, the function of the safety fence can be exhibited only by attaching the mesh member to the frame structure 2, and the safety fence can be modularized. Become.

  3 and 4 are perspective views for explaining the module mounting portion 3.

  The module mounting portion 3 includes a plurality of, for example, iron frame members 31 and includes two comb-shaped portions Ta and Tb having a comb shape.

  In the comb-shaped portions Ta and Tb, a module portion 7 composed of a work-related module (work-related unit) WM in which articles related to assembly work by the robots 4 and 5 are housed can be mounted. Hereinafter, the work-related module WM will be described in detail with a specific example.

  As the work-related module WM in this embodiment, two types of tray supply modules 71 (71a, 71b), a special component supply module 72, and a special work module 73 are detachably attached to the comb-shaped portions Ta, Tb of the module mounting portion 3. It can be installed. First, the tray supply module 71 will be described.

  The tray supply module 71 includes a storage unit 712 that stacks and stores trays 719 for storing components and assemblies, and a transport unit 713 that transports the tray 719 in the storage unit 712 to the work range of the robot 4 and the robot 5. have. First, the objects to be accommodated in the tray 719 will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state of components and the like placed on the tray 719.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, the alignment is performed by inserting the component 91 into each of the alignment holes 71fs of the core 71f. Here, the shape of the alignment hole 71fs corresponds to the shape of the component 91, whereby the position of the component 91 is regulated by the alignment hole 71fs. As shown in FIG. 5B, the component 92 is also aligned with the tray 719 by the core 71g having the alignment hole 71gs corresponding to the shape.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5C, the assembly 93 assembled from a plurality of parts including the parts 91 and 92 is aligned by the alignment protrusions 71hs instead of the alignment holes 71fs and 71gs. Is called. Here, the assembly 93 is sandwiched and fixed between the alignment protrusions 71hs.

  Next, the tray 719 on which the components 91 and 92 are placed is carried into the movable range of the robots 4 and 5, and the tray 719 on which the assembly 93 is placed is carried out of the movable range of the robots 4 and 5. The operation of the tray supply module 71 will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a view for explaining the transport operation of the tray 719 by the tray supply module 71. 6A and 6B are longitudinal sectional views of the tray supply module 71 with respect to the YZ plane.

  The tray supply module 71 includes a tray holding unit 71j that holds the tray 719 and reciprocates in the horizontal direction Y, and a driving unit 71k that is connected to the tray holding unit 71j and applies a reciprocating driving force in the horizontal Y direction to the tray 719. have. The tray holding unit 71j has a function of holding and releasing the tray 719. The drive unit 71k can move along the rail 71m. When the tray 719 held by the tray holding unit 71j is transported directly above the positioning plate 718 (FIG. 3) for positioning the tray 719 on the work table WD, the holding by the holding unit 71j is released. The tray 719 is set on the positioning plate 718, and the position of the tray 719 with respect to the robots 4 and 5 is determined. Note that the setting of the tray 719 is performed by fitting a protrusion provided on the positioning plate 718 into a groove formed on the tray 719, for example.

  The tray replacement unit 71n includes a tray holding unit 71p having the same configuration as the tray holding unit 71j, and a support unit 71q that supports the stacked trays 719 from below. And the support part 71q becomes a structure which can be raised / lowered along the support pole 71r by motor drive, for example.

  When replacing a tray with no parts or a tray filled with a completed assembly (hereinafter referred to as “used tray”) with another tray (hereinafter referred to as “next used tray”), the following operation is performed.

  (1) The tray group stacked on the support portion 71q is raised, and the lowermost tray 719L is held by the tray holding portion 71p (see FIG. 6B).

  (2) The used tray 719A is moved to the position directly above the support portion 71q by the operation of the drive portion 71k (see FIG. 6B).

  (3) Release the holding of the tray holding portions 71j and 71p, and place all the trays on the supporting portion 71q. Then, all the trays are lowered, the uppermost next use tray 719B is held by the tray holding portion 71j, and is conveyed to the positioning plate 718 (see FIG. 6A).

  With the above operation, the tray can be exchanged.

  With respect to the tray supply module 71 capable of performing such an operation, a tray supply module (hereinafter also referred to as “half size module”) 71 a having a width capable of juxtaposing three stacks of trays 719, and a half size module 71 a. And a tray supply module (hereinafter also referred to as a “full size module”) 71b having a double width and a double tray capacity can be mounted on the comb-shaped portions Ta and Tb of the module mounting portion 3. ing. Then, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, if the tray supply modules 71a and 71b are mounted before and after the work table WD, parts and the like can be supplied from the front and rear of the robots 4 and 5, respectively. That is, the tray supply module (first work-related unit) 71a and the tray supply module (second work-related unit) 71b are arranged opposite to each other with the robot 4 and the robot 5 interposed therebetween, so that Many work-related modules WM can be arranged.

  Next, returning to FIG. 3, the special component supply module 72 and the special work module 73 will be described.

  The special component supply module 72 stores articles such as special components different from the components 91 and 92 (FIG. 5) described above, such as taping components.

  The special work module 73 stores articles for supplementing difficult work by the robots 4 and 5, for example, a solder tool for performing a solder work.

  The special component supply module 72 and the special work module 73 described above have, for example, half the width of the half-size module 71a, and can be mounted on the comb-shaped portion Ta (Tb) of the module mounting portion 3.

  Returning to FIG. 1, two robots 4 and 5 of different types will be described.

<Principal configuration of robots 4 and 5>
The robot 4 is configured as a four-degree-of-freedom horizontal articulated robot in which one free-stretching degree of freedom in the vertical axis direction is provided at the tip of the arm connection with three degrees of freedom of rotation around the vertical axis. Installed on top.

  The robot 5 is configured as a six-degree-of-freedom vertical articulated robot in which three rotational degrees of freedom about the horizontal axis are coupled to each other between three degrees of freedom of rotation about the vertical axis. It is attached to the upper frame 21c in a suspended state.

  FIG. 7 is a conceptual plan view of the work table WD as viewed from above.

  The tips of the robots 4 and 5 have movable ranges RA and RB as shown in FIG. The movable ranges RA and RB of these robots 4 and 5 are substantially ring-shaped with a part missing.

  The movable ranges RA and RB cover most of the upper surface of the work table WD. In the assembling apparatus 1, a common movable range RC is defined in which the movable ranges RA and RB overlap each other on the work table WD. The common movable range RC is a space range in which the two robots 4 and 5 can cooperate, and the assembly jig 11 that holds the components 91 and 92 and the like assembled by the cooperative work is disposed in the common movable range RC. Is done.

  Of the two robots 4 and 5, the robot 5 arranged in an inverted posture above the work table WD can also hold the component and assemble the component in the horizontal direction. It is also possible to assemble parts. Further, the robot 4 arranged in an upright posture can perform an operation of gripping the component and assembling the component in the vertical direction. Therefore, for example, the robot 4 can be used for parts to be assembled in the vertical direction, and the parts to be assembled in the horizontal direction can be made to cooperate with each other with a function sharing.

  In the assembly work by the robots 4 and 5, the tray supply module 71 described above sets the tray 719 on which the parts required for assembling a predetermined assembly are set on the positioning plate 718, so that the work table WD. Are automatically carried into the movable ranges RA and RB. On the other hand, the assembly completed by the automatic assembly work is accommodated in the tray 719 set on the positioning plate 718 and then automatically carried out of the movable ranges RA and RB to the outside of the work table WD by the tray supply module 71. It has become.

  The control unit 6 includes, for example, a CPU and a memory, and controls the two robots 4 and 5 to cooperate with each other and controls the tray 719 conveyance timing by the tray supply module 71.

  As described above, the assembly apparatus 1 includes the vertical articulated robot 5 suspended above the work table WD in addition to the horizontal articulated robot 4 placed directly on the work table WD. In the assembly work by the robots 4 and 5, the work space can be expanded. The expansion of the work space will be specifically described with reference to FIG.

  As described in the background art, when two robots are directly placed and fixed on the work table WD, the installation portion of the two robots cannot be used as a work space on the work table WD, and the work space SP1 (which is relatively narrow) Parallel diagonal line). Therefore, in this embodiment, by attaching one of the robots to the frame structure 2 in a suspended state, a new work space located below the robot is acquired, and the expanded work space SP2 (in the virtual line) The assembly work can be done with.

  In particular, by installing a horizontal articulated robot 4 that has only one degree of freedom in the vertical direction and can perform highly accurate work on the work table WD, the robot 4 can be used for parts that require assembly accuracy. Moreover, although the accuracy of the assembly work is low, the vertical articulated robot 5 having a high degree of freedom of movement in the vertical direction and a wide movable range than the robot 4 is installed in a suspended state, so that the movable range is further expanded and the assembly work can be performed. The work space can be expanded while maintaining the accuracy.

  In the assembling apparatus 1, the cable CB extending from the robot 4 can be passed to the frame 21 using the three-dimensional structure of the frame structure 2 as shown in FIG. 8. As described above, when the cable CB extending from the robot 4 is laid on the predetermined route RT along the frame 21 of the frame structure 2, the cable does not interfere with the operation of the robot 4, and the operation range of the robot 4 is increased. It can be expanded. Similarly, the operating range of the robot 5 can be expanded by turning the cable (not shown) extending from the robot 5 on the frame 21.

<Modification>
In the above-described embodiment, it is not essential to install the horizontal articulated robot 4 on the work table WD in an upright posture. For example, the robot 4 is installed on a base lower than the work table WD. May be. Even in such a case, if a common movable range where the movable ranges of the robots 4 and 5 overlap each other is provided on the work table WD, the parts can be assembled in cooperation in the common movable range.

It is a perspective view which shows the principal part structure of the assembly apparatus 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 3 is a perspective view showing a main configuration of a frame structure 2. FIG. 4 is a perspective view for explaining a module mounting portion 3. FIG. 4 is a perspective view for explaining a module mounting portion 3. FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state of components and the like placed on a tray 719. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a transport operation of a tray 719 by a tray supply module 71. FIG. 3 is a conceptual plan view of a work table WD as viewed from above. It is a figure for demonstrating working space SP2 of the assembling apparatus 1. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Assembling apparatus 2 Frame structure 3 Module mounting part 4, 5 Robot 6 Control part 7 Module part 11 Assembly jig | tool 71, 71a, 71b Tray supply module 72 Special component supply module 73 Special work module 91, 92 Component 93 Assembly 719 Tray CB Cable RA, RB Robot movable range RC Common movable range SP2 Work space WD Worktable WM Work-related module

Claims (7)

An assembly apparatus for performing assembly work on a work table by a plurality of industrial robots,
The plurality of industrial robots are:
A first robot arranged in an upright position;
A second robot disposed in an inverted position above the workbench;
Have
An assembly apparatus characterized in that a common movable range in which the movable range of the first robot and the movable range of the second robot overlap is defined on the work table. The assembly apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
The first robot is a horizontal articulated robot;
The assembly apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second robot is a vertical articulated robot. The assembly apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
A predetermined work-related unit in which articles related to the assembly work are stored;
An assembling apparatus comprising: The assembly apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
The predetermined work-related unit includes a first work-related unit and a second work-related unit,
The assembly apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first work-related unit and the second work-related unit are arranged to face each other with the first robot and / or the second robot interposed therebetween. The assembly apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A frame structure in which a rectangular parallelepiped three-dimensional structure including the first robot and the second robot is formed by a plurality of frame members;
With
The assembling apparatus, wherein the second robot is mounted in an inverted posture on an upper portion of the frame structure. The assembly apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
A mounting portion connected to the frame structure and capable of detachably mounting a work-related unit storing articles related to the assembly work;
An assembling apparatus comprising: The assembly apparatus according to claim 5 or 6,
An assembly apparatus, wherein a cable extending from the first robot and / or the second robot is laid on a predetermined route along a frame member related to the frame structure.

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