JP2008272821A - Welding apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a welding apparatus which can exactly weld another component on a specified position of a tubular component by mounting it on a welding supporting apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: A frame member 6 having a fixed electrode 9 and a movable electrode 10 is mounted on a robot apparatus 5. A holding unit 3 for holding the tubular component 20 is provided on a part of the frame member 6. The arranged position of the holding unit 3 is set such that the tubular component 20 held by the holding unit 3 is positioned at the position separated from the axes of the electrodes. Therefore, after the tubular component 20 held by the holding unit 3 has arrived at a target position, a welding action can be carried out only by slightly moving it. Therefore, productivity can be effectively improved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a welding apparatus that is operated by a robot apparatus and that is provided with a function of holding tubular parts.

A fixed electrode and a movable electrode are provided on the C-shaped frame member, the C-shaped frame member is connected to the robot apparatus, and a projection nut is supplied to the fixed electrode by a component supply device attached to the C-shaped frame member. Is described in JP-A-62-166085.
JP-A-62-166085

  In the prior art as described above, a flat plate-shaped steel plate part is placed on the fixed electrode. Such a placement operation is performed manually by an operator or supplied by a retractable supply rod. This is done by equipment.

  However, when a projection bolt is welded to the outer peripheral surface of a tube-shaped component, the tubular component is held and taken out from a pipe molding machine or pipe storage, and supported so that it can be easily welded. The welding equipment must be operated for welding. Patent Document 1 discloses nothing about taking out such a tubular part or setting it in a welding apparatus.

  The present invention is provided in order to solve the above-described problems. The present invention provides a welding device with a transfer function of a tubular part, and attaches the tubular part to a welding support device so that other parts are placed at predetermined positions. It aims at providing the welding apparatus which can weld accurately.

Means to solve the problem

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a frame member having a fixed electrode and a movable electrode arranged on the electrode axis is attached to the robot apparatus, and a holding unit for holding a tubular part is provided on a part of the frame member. The position where the holding unit is arranged is a welding apparatus characterized in that the tubular part held by the holding unit is set so as to exist at a location separated from the electrode axis.

The invention's effect

  Since the tubular part is held by the holding unit provided in the frame member, the tubular part can be easily reached to a predetermined location by the robot apparatus. Since the tubular part is transferred in a state of being integrated with the frame member, the position of the tubular part that has reached the target location and the positions of both electrodes are in a very short distance. Therefore, the movable electrode can be operated immediately after the transfer of the tubular part, and the transfer of the tubular part and the electric resistance welding can be performed in a short time, thereby improving the productivity.

  In particular, since the held tubular part is present at a place separated from the electrode axis, after the tubular part has reached the target place, the frame member is moved by the separated distance and the movable electrode is immediately operated. This is extremely effective for improving the productivity as described above. Furthermore, since the robot apparatus fulfills two functions, that is, a function of transferring the tubular part and a function of positioning the electrode at a predetermined position, the structure of the welding apparatus can be simplified.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the welding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the target part to which the tubular part held by the holding unit is reached by the robot apparatus is a welding support apparatus that supports both ends of the tubular part.

  Since the tubular part is mounted on a welding support device and both ends thereof are supported, parts such as a projection bolt and a projection nut can be reliably welded to a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction of the tubular part.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the welding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the welding support device has a rotation mechanism for rotating the tubular part.

  By rotating the tubular part, the welding location in the rotation direction can be positioned corresponding to the electrode. Therefore, components such as projection bolts and projection nuts can be reliably welded to predetermined locations in the rotation direction.

  Invention of Claim 4 is the welding apparatus in any one of Claims 1-3 in which the said holding | maintenance unit is attached to the outer surface of the said frame member.

  Since the holding unit is attached to the outer surface of the frame member, the holding unit can be made compact in the welding apparatus. In addition, since the outer surface of the frame member is used, the holding unit can be easily installed, and it is easy to select the orientation, position, etc. of the holding unit.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the welding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the holding unit sandwiches a tubular part.

  By sandwiching the tubular part, the tubular part can be reliably held, and the tubular part does not fall or be positioned during the transfer of the tubular part.

  A sixth aspect of the present invention is the welding apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the pressurizing means uses a magnetic attraction force.

  Since the attractive force of the magnet is used as a pressurizing force, a reliable pressurizing function can be achieved with a simple structure simply by attaching the magnet to the frame member.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the welding apparatus of the present invention will be described.

  1 to 4 show a first embodiment.

  The whole welding apparatus will be described.

  1 and 2 are a front view and a side view, respectively, showing the entire welding apparatus. The entire welding apparatus is indicated at 100. The welding apparatus 100 includes a welding machine 1 having a fixed electrode and a movable electrode, a parts supply apparatus 2 that is attached to the welding machine 1 and supplies parts to the electrode, and a holder that is attached to the welding machine 1 and holds a tubular part. The unit 3 includes a welding support device 4 that supports both ends of the tubular part and serves as a transfer destination place of the tubular part, and a robot apparatus 5 that moves the welding machine 1 to a predetermined place.

  The welding machine 1 will be described.

  FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view showing the welding machine and a sectional view of the holding head. In order to facilitate understanding of the detailed structure shown in FIG. 2, FIG. The frame member 6 is a vertically long member, and is formed with an arm-like lower attachment member 7 and an upper attachment member 8 extending in the vertical direction. The movable electrode 9 and the fixed electrode 10 are disposed on the electrode axis OO, the fixed electrode is fixed to the lower mounting member 7, and the movable electrode 9 is coupled to the piston rod 12 of the air cylinder 11 for forward / backward driving. . The air cylinder 11 is fixed to the upper mounting member 8. The piston rod 12 and the movable electrode 9 are coaxial with the electrode axis OO.

  The parts to be welded in the first embodiment are projection bolts. Although there are various types of projection bolts, the bolts in the first embodiment are as shown in FIG. That is, the bolt 14 is made of iron, and is formed in a circular shape concentrically with the flange portion 16 on the opposite side of the shaft portion 15, a shaft portion 15 formed with a male screw, a circular flange portion 16 integral with the shaft portion 15. It is comprised from the welding protrusion 17 made. As for the dimensions of each part, the diameter of the shaft part 15 is 5 mm, the length of the shaft part 15 is 23 mm, the diameter of the flange part 16 is 13 mm, the thickness of the flange part 16 is 1 mm, the diameter of the welding protrusion 17 is 9 mm, and welding The protrusion thickness of the protrusion 17 is 1.2 mm. The welding protrusion 17 may be a plurality of small protrusions. In the following description, the projection bolt may be simply expressed as a bolt.

  The steel plate part to which the bolt 14 is welded is a tubular part 20 having a circular section, and in the case of an automobile, it is an exhaust pipe or a reinforcing member of the vehicle body. Here, as shown in FIG. 1A, a straight member having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion. The diameter of the large diameter portion of the tubular part 20 is 80 mm, the diameter of the small diameter portion is 60 mm, and the thickness thereof is 1 mm. In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the tubular component may be a square as shown in FIG. 1B, or may be curved as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, a receiving hole 18 is formed in the center of the movable electrode 9 in a state coaxial with the electrode axis OO, and is open to the end surface of the movable electrode 9. The shaft portion 15 of the bolt 14 is inserted into the receiving hole 18. In order to prevent the inserted bolt 14 from falling, a permanent magnet 19 is fixed to the back of the receiving hole 18.

  Since it is the tubular component 20 as described above, it is necessary to achieve stability of positioning on the fixed electrode 10. For this purpose, a V-shaped portion 46 having two flat inclined surfaces is formed on the upper surface portion of the fixed electrode 10 so that the tubular component 20 is not misaligned.

  Next, the component supply device 2 will be described.

  In order to insert the bolt 14 into the receiving hole 18, a component supply device 2 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 (A) is provided. This component supply device 2 is of a type in which a bolt 14 is held by a holding head 22 that performs an advance / retreat operation in an oblique direction and an advance / retreat operation in an up-down direction and is inserted into a receiving hole 18. The supply rod 24 is advanced and retracted by the air cylinder 23 disposed in an oblique direction with respect to the electrode axis OO. A holding head 22 is attached to the distal end portion of the supply rod 24. A triangular bracket 25 is fixed to the air cylinder 23. The lifting air cylinder 26 is attached to the upper attachment member 8, and its piston rod 27 advances and retreats in the same direction as the electrode axis OO. The bracket 25 is coupled to the lower end portion of the piston rod 27.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, the holding head 22 is obtained by processing a block material made of stainless steel, which is a nonmagnetic material, and the flange portion 16 is accommodated in a circular accommodation hole 31 opened upward. Is done. An annular step 32 is formed in the accommodation hole 31, and the surface of the flange portion 16 is seated thereon. The attraction force of the permanent magnet 33 embedded in the holding head 22 acts on the flange portion 16 so that the seating is performed reliably.

  An air passage 34 opening at the bottom of the accommodation hole 31 is provided, and the air passage 34 communicates with an air switching valve and an air supply source (not shown) through the inside of the supply rod 24.

  The bolt 14 is supplied from a parts feeder (not shown) through a supply hose 35 made of synthetic resin, and a supply pipe 36 made of stainless steel is connected to the bolt 14. As shown in FIG. 3A, a state where the holding head 22 is aligned with the supply pipe 36 is a receiving position where the bolt 14 is transferred to the holding head 22.

  The holding head 22 advances by the operation of the air cylinder 23 and stops at a position where the shaft portion 15 is coaxial with the receiving hole 18. This state is shown in FIG. Then, when the air cylinder 23, the supply rod 24, and the holding head 22 are raised by the operation of the elevating air cylinder 26, the distal end portion of the shaft portion 15 enters the receiving hole 18. At this stage, compressed air is jetted from the air passage 34, the bolt 14 is sent out from the receiving hole 31, the shaft portion 15 enters the receiving hole 18, and the flange portion 16 comes into close contact with the end face of the movable electrode 9.

  In addition, although the above-mentioned component supply apparatus 2 is a form which moves the volt | bolt 14 diagonally downward, and inserts it in the receiving hole 18, as another component supply apparatus, the volt | bolt 14 is lifted from diagonally downward, , It may be inserted into the receiving hole 18. Alternatively, the bolt 14 can be moved from the side and then inserted into the receiving hole 18.

  When the bolt 14 transferred at high speed from a parts feeder (not shown) directly collides with the holding head 22, the stepped portion 32 and the accommodation hole 31 in the holding head 22 may be damaged. In order to prevent such damage, a stopper unit 37 is provided in the middle of the supply pipe 36. The unit case 38 of the stopper unit 37 is fixed to a bracket 28 coupled to the air cylinder 23 as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the unit case 38 is provided with the entrance 39 and the delivery port 40 facing each other, and the supply pipe 36 is welded in a state of communicating with each other. A stopper piece 42 having a passage hole 41 is slid in the unit case 38. The stopper piece 42 is advanced and retracted by an air cylinder 43 attached to the unit case 38. A solid portion arranged next to the passage hole 41 is a stop portion 44.

  In the state shown in the figure, the stop portion 44 closes the entrance 39, and the bolt 14 which has been transferred from the parts feeder at high speed by air conveyance or the like has its welding projection 17 vigorously moved to the stop portion 44. As a result of the collision, the vehicle temporarily stops. In this way, the bolt 14 is temporarily stopped, and the bolt 14 is prevented from hitting the stepped portion 32 of the holding head 22 to prevent the holding head 22 from being damaged. Next, when the stopper piece 42 is moved by the operation of the air cylinder 43 and the passage hole 41 matches the entrance 39 and the delivery port 40, the bolt 14 falls into the delivery pipe 36.

  Next, the holding unit 3 will be described.

  The holding unit 3 holds the tubular part 20 waiting at the delivery point of the pipe manufacturing machine or the delivery point of the stock device, and reaches the welding support device 4 to be described later, which is the target location. The holding unit 3 is attached to a part of the frame member 6. The tubular component 20 is held on the receiving member 29 in a pressurized state, and the receiving member 29 is fixed to the outer surface of the frame member 6. In order to prevent the tubular component 20 from rolling by this pressurization, a V-shaped portion 45 composed of two inclined surfaces is formed on the upper surface portion of the receiving member 29.

  A pressing member 30 corresponding to the receiving member 29 is arranged in a state in which it can advance and retreat. The pressing member 30 is also formed with a V-shaped portion 47 composed of two inclined surfaces. An air cylinder 49 is fixed to the outer surface of the frame member 6 via a bracket 48, and the pressing member 30 is coupled to the piston rod 50. The tubular part 20 placed on the V-shaped part 45 of the receiving member 29 is pressurized by the operation of the air cylinder 49 to press the V-shaped part 47 of the pressing member 30, and the tubular part 20 is held. . In FIG. 3, the holding unit 3 is shown by a two-dot chain line, and the structure thereof is shown in FIG.

  By the operation of the robot apparatus 5, the holding unit 3 is made to reach the tubular part 20 waiting at the delivery position of the pipe manufacturing machine or the delivery position of the stock apparatus. At this time, the pressing member 30 is retracted by the air cylinder 49, and the waiting tubular component 20 is positioned between the receiving member 29 and the pressing member 30. Thereafter, the holding member 30 moves forward by the operation of the air cylinder 49, the tubular part 20 is clamped between the receiving member 29 and the holding member 30, and the tubular part 20 is held. The tubular part 20 thus held reaches the welding support device 4 described later by the operation of the robot device 5.

  As described above, since the tubular part 20 is held at the outer surface of the frame member 6, the tubular part 20 exists at a place separated from the electrode axis OO.

  FIG. 2B shows a modification of the pressurizing means of the holding unit 3. This is configured to press the tubular component 20 against the V-shaped portion 45 of the receiving member 29 by the attractive force of the electromagnet. An electromagnet 60 is attached to the lower surface of the receiving member 29, and the exciting iron core 61 is seen at the bottom of the V-shaped portion 45 of the receiving member 29. Reference numeral 62 denotes an exciting coil. The tubular part 20 received by the V-shaped part 45 is pressed against the V-shaped part 45 by the attractive force of the electromagnet 60, and the tubular part 20 is held in a stable state.

  As other pressurizing means, a type utilizing an air suction force can be adopted. This is to open an air suction hole on the inclined surface of the V-shaped part 45 and to apply pressure by air suction from this hole. Further, as another pressurizing means, a permanent magnet can be used. In this case, the attractive force is substantially eliminated by separating the permanent magnet from the V-shaped portion 45.

  Next, the welding support device 4 will be described.

  The welding support device 4 supports both ends of the tubular part 20 and welds the bolts 14 by the welding machine 1. The welding support device 4 is a transfer destination location of the tubular part 20 gripped by the holding unit 3. Then, the welding machine 1 is moved while operating the robot apparatus 5, and the plurality of bolts 14 are welded to the outer peripheral surface of the tubular part 20.

  A base 65 is installed on the floor 63 via a support frame 64. Support bases 51 and 52 are attached to the base 65, and support members 66 and 67 for supporting both ends of the tubular component 20 are disposed on the rotation axis XX. The support member 66 has a chuck-type structure that can grip the end of the tubular component 20 and apply a rotational force. A rotating shaft 69 of the support member 66 is supported on a bearing 68 fixed to the support base 51. The support member 66 is rotated by a servo motor 70 attached to the bearing 69.

  On the other hand, the support member 67 is inserted into the end portion of the tubular component 20 to be centered, and a tapered portion 71 for fitting is formed. A rotation shaft 73 of a support member 67 is supported on a bearing 72 fixed to the support base 52. The support member 67 is configured such that the tapered portion 71 is pressed against the end of the tubular component 20 by a spring (not shown). The two support plates 74 are installed in a state where they stand up from the base 65, and the tubular component 20 is supported at the upper ends thereof. In order to stabilize this support, an arc portion (not shown) is formed on the upper end of the support plate 74, and the tubular part 20 is placed thereon. Further, a space in which both electrodes 9 and 10 can enter and move is secured outside the tubular part 20.

  The support member 67 can be slid left and right to accommodate the length of the tubular part 20. That is, the support base 52 is assembled in a slidable state on the slide rail 53 fixed on the base 65, and when the movement handle 54 is turned, the support member 67 moves to the position shown by the two-dot chain line.

  2A, the tubular part 20 is grasped and transferred between the support members 66 and 67, and the tubular part 20 is moved between the support members 66 and 67. Supported by Thereafter, the holding member 30 is retracted by the operation of the air cylinder 49 and the gripping operation with respect to the tubular part 20 is released. Then, the frame device 6 is moved across the tubular part 20 by the robot apparatus 5, and the tubular part 20 is positioned between the electrodes 9 and 10. Thereafter, the welding machine 1 is moved in the axial direction of the tubular part 20 by the robot apparatus 5, and the tubular part 20 is rotated by the servo motor 70. A predetermined welding position is set by this axial movement and rotation, and the bolt 14 is welded to that position. Such an operation takes place continuously when the tubular part 20 is supported between the two support members 66, 67, since the tubular part 20 is located near the electrode axis OO. The operation time is shortened.

  Next, the robot apparatus 5 will be described.

  The robot apparatus 5 is of a commonly used type, for example, a 6-axis type, and performs an operation according to a set sequence.

  Although various air cylinders are employed in the above-described embodiments, an electric motor that performs forward / backward output may be employed instead. Further, in order to perform the operation as described above, although not shown, it is easily performed using a control device such as a normal sequencer, a sensor, an air switching valve operated by the control device, or the like. Can do.

  The operational effects of the first embodiment described above are as follows.

  Since the tubular component 20 is held by the holding unit 3 provided on the frame member 6, the robot device 5 can easily make the tubular component 20 reach a predetermined location. Since the tubular part 20 is transferred in a state of being integrated with the frame member 6, the position of the tubular part 20 that has reached the welding support device 4 that is the target position, and both electrodes 9, 10, that is, the electrode axis OO. The position is in a very short distance. Therefore, the movable electrode 9 can be operated immediately after the transfer of the tubular part 20, and the transfer of the tubular part and the electric resistance welding can be performed in a short time, thereby improving the productivity.

  In particular, since the held tubular part 20 is present at a location separated from the electrode axis OO, the frame member 6 is moved by the separated distance after the tubular part 20 reaches the welding support device 4. Thus, the movable electrode 9 can be operated immediately, which is extremely effective for improving the productivity as described above. In other words, since the holding unit 3 is attached to the frame member 6, the interval between the held tubular component 20 and the electrode axis OO can be set short, and the frame member 6 can be shortened as described above. Simply moving the distance will enable welding. Furthermore, since the robot apparatus 5 performs two functions, that is, a function of transferring the tubular part 20 and a function of relatively positioning the electrodes 9 and 10 at predetermined positions, the structure of the welding apparatus 100 is simplified. It becomes possible.

  The target location where the tubular part 20 held by the holding unit 3 is reached by the robot apparatus 5 is the welding support apparatus 4 that supports both ends of the tubular part 20.

  Since the tubular part 20 is mounted on the welding support device 4 and both ends thereof are supported, parts such as the projection bolt 14 and the projection nut can be reliably welded to predetermined portions in the longitudinal direction of the tubular part 20. .

  The welding support device 4 has a rotation mechanism including a servo motor 70 that rotates the tubular component 20, rotation shafts 69 and 73, bearings 68 and 72, and the like.

  By rotating the tubular part 20, the welding location in the rotation direction can be positioned corresponding to the electrodes 9 and 10. Therefore, components such as the projection bolt 14 and the projection nut can be reliably welded to a predetermined portion in the rotation direction.

  The holding unit 3 is attached to the outer surface of the frame member 6.

  Since the holding unit 3 is attached to the outer surface of the frame member 6, the holding unit 3 can be made compact in the welding apparatus 100. In addition, since the outer surface of the frame member 6 is used, the holding unit 3 can be easily installed, and the orientation, position, etc. of the holding unit 3 can be easily selected.

  The holding unit 3 sandwiches the tubular part 20.

  By sandwiching the tubular part 20, the tubular part 20 can be reliably held, and the tubular part 20 does not fall or be positioned during the transfer of the tubular part 20.

  The pressurizing means uses the attractive force of the electromagnet 60.

  Since the attracting force of the electromagnet 60 is used as a pressurizing force, a reliable pressurizing function can be achieved with a simple structure simply by attaching the electromagnet 60 to the frame member 6.

  As described above, according to the present invention, welding that can transfer a tubular part to the welding apparatus and can accurately weld another part to a predetermined place by attaching the tubular part to the welding support apparatus. Since it is a device, it can be used in a wide range of industrial fields, such as automobile body welding processes and home appliance sheet metal welding processes.

It is a front view which shows the whole welding apparatus and a tubular part. It is a side view which shows the modification of the whole welding apparatus and a holding | maintenance unit. It is the side view which expands and shows a welding machine, and sectional drawing of a holding head. It is sectional drawing of a stopper unit.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Welding machine 2 Parts supply apparatus 3 Holding unit 4 Welding support apparatus 5 Robot apparatus 6 Frame member 7 Lower side attachment member 8 Upper side attachment member 9 Movable electrode 10 Fixed electrode 14 Projection bolt 15 Shaft part 16 Flange part 17 Welding protrusion 18 Reception Hole 20 Tubular component 22 Holding head 24 Supply rod 29 Receiving member 30 Holding member 45 V-shaped part 46 V-shaped part 47 V-shaped part 60 Electromagnet 66 Support member 67 Support member 69 Rotating shaft 70 Servo motor 73 Rotating shaft

Claims (6)

  A frame member having a fixed electrode and a movable electrode arranged on the electrode axis is attached to the robot apparatus, and a holding unit for holding a tubular part is provided in a part of the frame member. The welding apparatus is characterized in that the tubular component held in the tube is set so as to exist at a location separated from the electrode axis.   The welding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the target part to which the tubular part held by the holding unit is reached by the robot apparatus is a welding support apparatus that supports both ends of the tubular part.   The welding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the welding support device includes a rotation mechanism that rotates the tubular component.   The welding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding unit is attached to an outer surface of the frame member.   The welding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding unit sandwiches a tubular part.   The welding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the holding unit uses an attractive force of a magnet.

Images