JP2007331633A - Conveyor device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a conveyor device including a power-and-free trolley conveyor with reduced bulk. <P>SOLUTION: This conveyor device includes a power-and-free trolley conveyor driven by a power chain 15 for moving a free trolley 22 along a conveying path by engaging a drive dog 13 attached to a power trolley 12 supported and guided by a power rail 11 with a driven dog 23 of a free trolley 22 supported and guided by a free rail 21. The driven dog 23 of the free trolley 22 is shaped not to be protruded from a power rail 11 side end of the free rail 21, and a section, in which a track for the free rail 21 and that for the power rail 11 are moved relatively in the conveying width direction, is arranged so that engagement between the driven dog 23 and the drive dog 13 is released. Consequently, a clearance D between the power rail 11 and the free rail 21 can be reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention provides a power-and-free trolley conveyor that moves a free trolley along a conveyance path by transmitting a driving force of a power chain supported and guided by a power rail to a free trolley supported and guided by a free rail. It is related with the conveyor apparatus containing.

  In a transfer line constructed by a conveyor device such as a power-and-free trolley conveyor, in order to improve the flexibility and productivity of the transfer line, a connecting part, a branching part (for example, refer to Patent Document 1) or a merge between the lines. The structure which provides a part (for example, refer patent document 2) is employ | adopted widely. In addition, a conveyor device that uses a power chain type driving device and a friction roller type driving device properly in the same conveyance line is also frequently used (for example, see Patent Document 3).

  The power-and-free trolley conveyor in the conveyor device (conveying equipment using a moving body) of Patent Document 3 is a moving body on the upper side of a power rail that supports and guides a power chain (endless chain) driven and driven around a horizontal tooth ring. A free rail for supporting and guiding the free trolley (guided device) is provided. The power chain type driving device (endless rotation type feeding device) is provided with a driving dog (transmission body) protruding upward from the power chain, and a driven dog (swingable) provided on the free trolley of the moving body ( The movable body is moved along the conveyance path by engaging the passive body with the drive dog.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-343238 (FIGS. 1 and 5-6) JP 2000-177665 A (Fig. 5-12) JP 2001-253340 A (FIG. 4)

  In the configuration of Patent Document 3, the lower portion of the free trolley and the driven dog protrude beyond the lowermost surface (the end of the power rail) of the free rail toward the power rail. The distance from the power rail is increased. Therefore, there is a problem that the bulk of the conveyor device becomes high. In addition, when such a bulky conveyor is installed on the floor of a factory, it is necessary for an operator to straddle a high rail during the conveyor inspection work. There is a problem that it gets worse. Furthermore, when a work floor is formed according to the height of the uppermost end of the free rail installed on the floor to form a double floor, the height of the work floor increases, so the work space to the ceiling is small. There is a problem of becoming.

  Furthermore, when branching or merging in a horizontal plane at the branching part or merging part of the production line as shown in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2, a branching device or a merging device (a switch rail, a switching machine) ) Needs to be provided with rails for supporting the traveling wheels of the free trolley, and there is a problem that the structure of the branching device and the merging device is complicated.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to obtain a conveyor device including a power-and-free trolley conveyor that can reduce the bulk. It is another object of the present invention to obtain the conveyor device capable of reliably engaging and releasing the driven dog and the driving dog over a long period of time. Furthermore, it aims at obtaining the said conveyor apparatus which can simplify the structure of a branch apparatus or a merging apparatus.

  In order to solve the above problems, the conveyor device according to the present invention is driven by a power chain, and a driven dog attached to a power trolley supported and guided by the power rail is driven by the free trolley supported and guided by the free rail. A conveyor device including a power and free trolley conveyor that moves the free trolley along a transport path by engaging with a dog, wherein the driven dog of the free trolley is connected to the power rail side of the free rail. It has a shape that does not protrude from the end, and is provided with a section that relatively moves the track of the free rail and the track of the power rail in the transport width direction so as to release the engagement between the driven dog and the driving dog. Is.

  Here, in a state where the driven dog and the driving dog are disengaged by the relative movement, the power trolley can move in the transport direction without interfering with the power trolley. It is preferable to provide a section that increases the distance between the rail and the free rail.

  Further, in a section in which the interval between the power rail and the free rail is increased, the free trolley side end of the drive dog is moved to the power rail side from the power rail side end of the free rail, It is preferable that a support plate for supporting the traveling wheels of the free trolley is installed between the free rails at the branching or joining part of the conveyance line of the moving body supported by the free trolley.

  According to the conveyor device of the present invention, the drive dog driven by the power chain and attached to the power trolley supported and guided by the power rail is engaged with the driven dog of the free trolley supported and guided by the free rail. Thus, a conveyor device including a power and free trolley conveyor that moves the free trolley along a conveyance path, wherein the driven dog of the free trolley does not protrude from the power rail side end of the free rail And a section for moving the track of the free rail and the track of the power rail relative to each other in the conveyance width direction so as to release the engagement between the driven dog and the driving dog. Since the dog has a shape that does not protrude from the power rail side end of the free rail, It is possible to reduce the distance between the power rail and the free rail, bulk can be lowered of the conveyor device, it is possible to miniaturize the conveyor device. Therefore, when the conveyor device is a floor conveyor, it is possible to improve the workability at the time of inspection of the conveyor, and to form a work floor that matches the height of the uppermost end of the free rail installed on the floor. In the case of a double floor, the work space up to the ceiling can be increased. In addition, even if the angle of the hook-like portion where both the driven dog and the driving dog are engaged is an acute angle so that the engagement can be performed more reliably, the driven portion is not moved in the relative movement section. The engagement can be easily and reliably released by moving the drive dog relative to the dog in the conveyance width direction. Therefore, the engagement and release operation of the driven dog and the driving dog can be reliably performed over a long period of time. Furthermore, since the angle of the hook-shaped portion can be set to an acute angle, the driving force of the power chain can be more reliably transmitted from the power trolley to the free trolley and reliably pulled.

  Further, the power rail so that the free trolley can move in the transport direction without interfering with the power trolley in a state where the engagement between the driven dog and the driving dog is released by the relative movement. If the section between the free dog and the free rail is widened, the free trolley or the like is constituted by a friction roller type driving device after the engagement between the driven dog and the driving dog is released by the relative movement. Since the free trolley does not interfere with the power trolley when the trolley or the carrier is imparted with a thrust, the trolley or the carrier can be moved smoothly.

  Further, in a section in which the interval between the power rail and the free rail is increased, the free trolley side end of the driving dog is moved to the power rail side from the power rail side end of the free rail, When the support plate for supporting the traveling wheel of the free trolley is installed between the free rails in the branching or merging portion of the conveyance line of the moving body supported by the free trolley, Since the traveling wheel of the free trolley can be supported by the support plate, it is not necessary to provide a branching device or a junction device (a rolling rail, a switching machine) with a rail that supports the traveling wheel of the free trolley. Therefore, since the structure of the branching device or the merging device can be simplified, the cost can be reduced and the long-term reliability of the transfer direction switching operation in the branching portion or the merging portion can be achieved.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, and includes all the embodiments that satisfy the requirements described in the claims. It is a waste. In addition, in this specification, the conveyance direction (refer arrow A direction in a figure) of a to-be-conveyed object is made into front, the opposite side is made into back, and right and left are made into right and left toward the front. A horizontal direction (left-right direction) orthogonal to the conveyance direction is referred to as a conveyance width direction. Furthermore, let the figure seen from the left be a front view.

  1-4 is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the power and free trolley conveyor in the conveyor apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention, FIG. 1 is a front view, FIG.2 (a) is a top view of a free trolley. 2 (b) is a view of the free trolley as seen from the rear, FIG. 3 is a front view showing the engaged state of the driven dog of the free trolley and the driven dog of the power trolley, and FIG. 4 is a rear view of the engaged state. It is the figure seen from. 5 to 9 are explanatory views of the connecting portion between the lines, FIG. 5 is a plan view, FIG. 6 is a front view, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 10 and 11 are explanatory views of the branching portion, FIG. 10 is a plan view, and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line EE in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the carriage 3 is transported by a conveyor device 1 including a power and free trolley conveyor 2 along a predetermined transport path (transport direction A). That is, the carriage 3 is composed of a front trolley 31, a front load trolley 32, a rear load trolley 33, a rear trolley 34, and connecting rods 35, 36, and 37 that connect these trolleys 31 to 34, which are free trolleys 22. A transported object W is supported by left and right transported object front supports 4 and 4 and transported object post supports 5 and 5 connected by left and right vertical frames 6 and 6 provided on the body. The transported object W is transported along a predetermined transport path (transport direction A).

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the free trolley 22, the boss 27 fixed between the left and right trolley brackets 26, and the bosses 28, 28 extending from the left and right trolley brackets 26, 26 outward in the transport width direction. Traveling wheels 24, 24 are fixed to the left and right ends of a horizontal support shaft 29 supported rotatably around a direction axis, and left and right side rollers 25, 25 are rotatably supported by left and right vertical support shafts 30, 30. The

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the pair of left and right free rails 21, 21 to which the left and right traveling wheels 24 of the free trolley 22 are engaged are spaced apart from each other in the conveyance width direction, with the openings facing each other. A yoke having a substantially U-shaped cross section having a substantially U-shaped cross-section and arranged along the transport path of the article to be transported W (cart 3) and fixed to the floor surface FL. Is supported on the inner surface side in the conveyance width direction at the upper part of. The lower side of the yoke 10,... Is bent horizontally, a height adjusting bolt is passed through a hole formed in the bent portion, and the lower portion of the height adjusting bolt is fixed to an anchor plate. The plate is firmly fixed to the floor surface FL by anchor bolts.

  Also, the left and right side rollers 25, 25 abut on the inner side surface of the horizontal plate portion on the upper side of the free rails 21, 21, and the left and right steadying roller 9 attached to the outer side of the left and right side surfaces of the horizontal frames 7, 8 , 9 are supported by a non-illustrated steadying rail to prevent the carriage 3 from falling in the conveyance width direction. Therefore, since the driving dog 13 is moved relative to the driven dog 23 in the conveyance width direction in order to release the engagement between the driven dog 23 and the driving dog 13 as described later, In addition to the fact that the distance between the traveling wheels 24 and 24 is appropriately widened, even when a heavy object to be conveyed W is supported above the carriage 3, shake in the conveying width direction is suppressed. Can be carried out more stably.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the front load trolley 32, which is a free trolley 22, protrudes rearward at the center in the conveyance width direction between the left and right trolley brackets 26, 26, and the drive dog 13 of the power trolley 12. A hook-like driven dog 23 is provided which engages with. Since the driven dog 23 has a shape that does not protrude from the lower ends of the free rails 21 and 21 (the end on the side of the power rail 11 described later), the distance D (see FIG. 3) between the power rail 11 and the free rail 21 is reduced. be able to. Therefore, the bulk of the conveyor device 1 can be reduced. Further, since the trolley brackets 26, 26 of the front load trolley 32 are recessed between the front and rear traveling wheels 24, 24, interference with the drive dog 13 of the power trolley 12 is avoided.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the pair of left and right power rails 11, 11 with which the left and right wheels 14,... Of the power trolley 12 in the power chain type drive device 41 are engaged are spaced apart from each other in the conveyance width direction. A pair of left and right cross-sections each having an opening facing each other and having a substantially U-shaped cross section, is located on the lower side of the free rails 21 and 21 in the path for transmitting the driving force to the free trolley 22, and the yoke 10 ,... Are supported on the inner surface side in the conveyance width direction.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the power chain 15 has a center link 16 made of an elongated rod-like member having a pin hole penetrating in the vertical direction at the front and rear end portions, and a pin hole penetrating in the vertical direction at the front and rear end portions, respectively. It consists of a pair of upper and lower side links 17 made of an elongated plate-like member, and a connecting pin for connecting the center link 16 and the side link 17. Then, the end portions of the pair of side links 17 are overlapped so that the end portions of the center link 15 are sandwiched from above and below, and the connecting pins are inserted and connected in a state where the pin holes of both the links 16 and 17 are aligned. Composed.

  Since the lower part of the power trolley 12 is fixed to the side link 17 on the upper side of the power chain 15, the power trolley 12 moves along the power rails 11 and 11. The power trolley 12 is provided with a hook-shaped drive dog 13 that engages with the driven dog 23 and that can rotate about a support shaft 13A in the conveyance width direction. Is biased in the direction in which the hook-shaped portion engaged with the driven dog 23 moves forward by the front weight portion 13B.

  Accordingly, the drive dog 13 attached to the power trolley 12 driven by the power chain 15 and supported and guided by the power rails 11 and 11 is supported by the free trolley 22 (front load trolley 32) supported and guided by the free rails 21 and 21. By being engaged with the driven dog 23, the carriage 3 is moved along the conveyance path by the power chain type driving device 41.

  In a section where the free trolley 22 is not driven by the power chain drive device 41, the friction rollers 42A (see FIG. 5) of the friction roller drive device 42 are attached to the vertical surfaces 35A, 36A, 37A that are the side surfaces of the connecting rods 35, 36, 37. 9)), and the carriage 3 can be conveyed by applying a thrust by the driving force of the friction roller 42A.

  Next, a means for releasing the engagement between the driven dog 23 and the driving dog 13 will be described by taking a connecting portion between lines as an example. 5 and FIG. 6, the connecting part CN from the conveying line L1 to the conveying line L2 is driven by the power chain driving device 41, and the free trolley 22 (pre-loading trolley 32) in the carriage 3 that is conveyed on the conveying line L1. A transport means for transporting the carriage 3 to the transport line L2 so that the driven dog 23 of the power trolley 12 is disengaged from the drive dog 13 of the power trolley 12 and then delivered to another transport line L2. A friction roller type driving device 42 is provided. The conveying means is not limited to the friction roller type driving device, and may be a chain driving device or the like. For example, when the chain driving device is used, the carriage 3 is pushed by a pushing dog attached to the chain. can do.

  The relative movement section SH in the conveyance width direction in FIG. 5 is such that the engagement between the driven dog 23 of the free trolley 22 (front load trolley 32) and the driving dog 13 of the power trolley 12 in the carriage 3 is released. This is a section in which the tracks of the free rails 21 and 21 and the tracks of the power rails 11 and 11 are relatively moved in the transport width direction. In the section SH, the drive dog 13 moves in the transport width direction with respect to the driven dog 23. Therefore, when the section SH is passed, the engagement between the driven dog 23 and the driving dog 13 is released as shown in FIG. Further, in this state, the trolley brackets 26, 26 of the front load trolley 32 do not interfere with the drive dog 13 because the front and rear traveling wheels 24, 24 are recessed upward as described above.

  According to the disengagement means between the driven dog 23 and the driving dog 13 as described above, the angle of the hook-shaped portion where both the driven dog 23 and the driving dog 13 engage is more effective than the engagement. Even in an acute angle so that it can be reliably performed, the engagement is easily and reliably performed by moving the driving dog 13 relative to the driven dog 23 in the conveyance width direction in the section SH. It can be canceled. Therefore, the engagement and release operation of the driven dog 23 and the driving dog 13 can be reliably performed over a long period of time. In addition, since the angle of the hook-shaped portion can be set to an acute angle, the driving force of the power chain type driving device 41 can be more reliably transmitted from the power trolley 12 to the free trolley 22 and reliably pulled. it can.

  The section SV in which the interval between the power rail and the free rail in FIG. 6 is widened is a state where the engagement between the driven dog 23 and the driving dog 13 is released by the relative movement in the section SH. (Front load trolley 32) is a section in which the interval between the power rails 11, 11 and the free rails 21, 21 is increased so that the front trolley 32 can move in the transport direction A without interfering with the power trolley 12. Since the driving dog 13 moves downward (to the power trolley 12 side) with respect to the driven dog 23 in the section SV, when passing through the section SV, the free trolley 22 (pre-load trolley 32 as shown in FIG. 8). ) Is separated from the power trolley 12 in the vertical direction.

  The carriage 3 that has passed through the section SH and has been disengaged from the driven dog 23 and the driving dog 13 is given thrust by the friction roller type driving device 42 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9, it is driven by the friction roller type driving device 42 and delivered to the conveying line L2 side. 5, only one friction roller type driving device 42 is shown. However, depending on the line configuration, a plurality of friction roller type driving devices 42,...

  As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 7, and 8, as described above, the driven dog 23 has a shape that does not protrude from the lower ends (power rail 11 side ends) of the free rails 21 and 21. Further, in the position where the power trolley 12 passes through the section SV in which the interval between the power rails 11 and 11 and the free rails 21 and 21 shown in FIG. 6 is increased, the free trolley 22 of the drive dog 13 is shown in FIG. A side end moves to the lower side (the power rail 11) side of the free rails 21, 21 than the power rail 11, 11 side end.

  Accordingly, a traveling wheel support plate 51 (supporting the traveling wheels 24,... Of the free trolleys 22,... Is supported at each branch line BR from the branch point BP to the main line ML and the branch line BL. 11 is also installed between the free rails 21,..., The driven dog 23 or the driving dog 13 does not interfere with the support plate 51.

  If the traveling wheel support plate 51 is provided as described above, the free trolley 22, which is driven by the rolling rail switching drive device 53, and switches the carriage 3 to the main line ML or the branch line BL. There is no need to provide rails for supporting the traveling wheels 24. Therefore, the rolling rail 52 can be composed of only one tongue piece (substantially triangular shape as shown in FIG. 10) that switches the traveling direction of the free trolleys 22 to the main line ML or the branch line BL. The structure of the rolling rail 52 can be simplified. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the cost of the branch part BR and to improve the operation reliability over a long period of the operation of switching the transport direction in the branch part BR.

  In addition, the structure which provides such a running wheel support plate 51 can also be employ | adopted as a junction part instead of the branch part BR, and there exists an effect similar to the branch part BR also in a junction part. In particular, in the junction part of the conveyor by the friction roller type driving device, the junction device (the rolling rail or the like) does not rotate while supporting the free trolley, so that the switching of the rolling rail by the carriage as in Patent Document 2 is small. There is no need to provide means (such as an operating rod, an operating arm, and a carriage engaging lever) for quietly performing with force, and the structure of the merging device can be greatly simplified.

  In the above description, the floor conveyor has been described as a conveyor device including a power and free trolley conveyor, but the conveyor device may be an overhead conveyor.

It is a front view which shows the structure of the power and free trolley conveyor in the conveyor apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. Similarly, it is explanatory drawing of a free trolley, (a) is a top view, (b) is the figure seen from the back. It is a front view which shows the engagement state of the driven dog of a free trolley, and the drive dog of a power trolley. It is the figure which looked at the said engagement state from back. It is a top view which shows the connection part between lines. It is also a front view. It is arrow BB sectional drawing of FIG. It is CC sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is arrow DD sectional drawing of FIG. It is a top view which shows a branch part. It is arrow EE sectional drawing of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

A Transport direction BR Branch part BP Branch point BL Branch line ML Main line CN Transit part D Distance between power rail and free rail FL Floor L1, L2 Transport line SH Relative movement section SV in the transport width direction SV Between power rail and free rail Section W to widen the interval Conveyed object 1 Conveyor device 2 Power-and-free trolley conveyor 3 Carriage 4 Conveyed object front support 5 Conveyed object rear support 6 Vertical frame 7, 8 Horizontal frame 9 Stabilizing rollers 10, 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E Yoke 11 Power rail 12 Power trolley 13 Drive dog 13A Support shaft 13B Weight portion 14 Wheel 15 Power chain 16 Center link 17 Side link 21 Free rail 22 Free trolley 23 Driven dog 24 Traveling wheel 25 Side roller 26 Trolley bracket 27, 28 Boss 29, 30 Support shaft 31 Leading trolley 32, 33 Load trolley 34 Rear trolley 35, 36, 37 Connecting rod 35A, 36A, 37A Vertical surface 41 Power chain type driving device 42 Friction roller type driving device 42A Friction roller 51 Traveling wheel support plate 52 Rolling轍 Rail 53 Roller rail switching drive device

Claims (3)

By engaging a drive dog driven by a power chain and attached to a power trolley supported and guided by a power rail with a driven dog of the free trolley supported and guided by the free rail, the free trolley is placed in the transport path. A conveyor device including a power and free trolley conveyor that moves along the conveyor,
The driven dog of the free trolley has a shape that does not protrude from the power rail side end of the free rail,
A conveyor device comprising a section for relatively moving the track of the free rail and the track of the power rail in the transport width direction so as to release the engagement between the driven dog and the driving dog. .   The power rail and the power rail so that the free trolley can move in the transport direction without interfering with the power trolley in a state in which the driven dog and the driving dog are disengaged by the relative movement. The conveyor device according to claim 1, wherein a section is provided to increase a distance from the free rail. In the section where the interval between the power rail and the free rail is increased, the free trolley side end of the drive dog is moved to the power rail side from the power rail side end of the free rail, and the free trolley A support plate for supporting the traveling wheel of the free trolley is installed between the free rails in the branching or joining part of the transfer line of the moving body supported by The conveyor apparatus of Claim 2.

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