JP2010058213A - Vacuum pad device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vacuum pad device capable of stably carrying a carried article without shaking, and preventing the breakage and wear of a vacuum pad. <P>SOLUTION: A hand portion 2 is provided with a spring shift 3 capable of vertically sliding to the hand portion 2. A brake means 5 capable of stopping sliding is equipped to a sliding portion 21 between the spring shift 3 and the hand portion 2. A vacuum pad 4 is equipped at a lower end of the spring shift 3, and furthermore the spring shift 3 is equipped with a coil spring 33 capable of adding energizing force for energizing the vacuum pad 4 downward. The vacuum pad 4 is press-contacted and made to abut on a sucked article to suck by the energizing force added from the coil spring 33 when the hand portion 2 is lowered and the spring shift 3 is slid to the hand portion 2, and after sucking the sucked article, the braking means 5 can stop the sliding of the spring shift 3 and the hand portion 2 when the hand portion rises. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vacuum pad device for adsorbing and holding a plate-like component or the like when moving it in an automobile factory or the like.

  In an automated production line such as an automobile manufacturing factory, a vacuum pad device using a vacuum pad is used to convey finished products, semi-finished products, parts to be assembled, and the like. The vacuum pad device has a sucker-like shape, and when adsorbed to a semi-finished product, it is controlled by a separately connected air unit so that it is between the sucker-like pad body and the object to be adsorbed. The structure is such that the object to be adsorbed can be supported by sucking air so as to be in a vacuum state between the pad main body and the object to be adsorbed.

Hereinafter, a vacuum pad device that has been conventionally used when transporting a pressed steel sheet or the like in an automobile factory will be described as a conventional example with reference to FIG.
Reference numeral 100 denotes a conventional vacuum pad device. The vacuum pad device 100 is supported by a transport device (not shown) provided separately by the hand unit 101 and transports and supports the object W to be adsorbed. A shaft sliding hole 101a is formed in the hand portion 101, and a spring shift 102 is inserted through the shaft sliding hole 101a. Therefore, the spring shift 102 can slide in the shaft sliding hole 101a.
The spring shift 102 has a vacuum pad 103 attached to the lower end. At the upper end, an air hose 105 connected to an air system (not shown) provided separately is provided. The spring shift 102 has an air insertion hole (not shown) formed therein, and connects the vacuum pad 103 at the lower end and the air hose 105 in an airtight manner.

  Further, between the vacuum pad 103 and the hand portion 101, a spring 104 is inserted through the spring shift 102. The spring 104 applies a biasing force between the hand unit 101 and the vacuum pad 103.

  Therefore, after the hand unit 101 is moved by the transport device (not shown) and the vacuum pad 103 comes into contact with the object W, the hand unit 101 further moves toward the vacuum pad 103 while being slid by the spring shift 102. Then, the spring 104 presses the vacuum pad 103 against the object W to be adsorbed.

The conventional vacuum pad device 100 configured as described above is moved from above the object to be adsorbed W by a transfer device (not shown) to adsorb the vacuum pad 103 to the object to be adsorbed. Then, the hand unit 101 is moved downward, the vacuum pad 103 comes into contact with the object to be attracted, and the vacuum pad 103 moved further downward by a predetermined amount is further pressed. At this time, the force for pressing the vacuum pad 103 against the object W is obtained by the biasing force of the spring 104.
Further, when the height of the plurality of vacuum pads 103 coming into contact with the object to be adsorbed W is different, adjusting the contact height of each vacuum pad 103 with the object to be adsorbed W by providing a spring 104; Become.
Then, after each vacuum pad 103 abuts, an air system (not shown) connected to the air hose 105 sucks the space between the vacuum pad 103 and the object to be adsorbed W, and the object W to be adsorbed by the vacuum pad 103. Adsorb.
These steps are programmed and controlled in advance, but may be supported by the worker, and the hand unit 101 may be transported by the worker instead of being transported by a transport device (not shown).

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the suction surface with which the vacuum pad 103 of the object to be sucked W comes into contact may be inclined. In some cases, the vacuum pad 103 may be provided with a swing mechanism.
That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the engaging portion 106 between the vacuum pad 103 and the spring shift 102 is formed to be rotatable. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7A, even if the suction surface of the object to be adsorbed W is not perpendicular to the spring shift 102 but is inclined at an angle, the vacuum pad 103 is rotated to adsorb the object to be adsorbed W. It is along the surface.

  However, in the conventional vacuum pad device 100 shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, after the object to be adsorbed W is adsorbed, the hand unit 101 is moved in the direction indicated by the white arrow in FIG. Since the object to be adsorbed W tends to remain in place due to its own weight, the spring shift 102 is guided to the sliding hole 101a and slides until the hand portion 101 comes into contact with the stopper 102a provided on the spring shift 102. The adsorbed object W is tilted in a state where the adsorbed object W is adsorbed and supported, and the adsorbed support is not stable when the adsorbed object W is conveyed.

  In addition, when the locking portion 106 is rotatably provided between the vacuum pad 103 and the spring shift 102, the hand portion 101 is moved to the attracted object W, the vacuum pad 103 is lowered, and the vacuum pad 103 is covered. When contacting the adsorbent W, as shown in FIG. 7A, if the adsorbing surface of the object to be adsorbed W and the vacuum pad 103 are in the same direction of inclination, the adsorbing can be continued even if the descent continues. However, as shown in FIG. 7 (b), when the inclined direction of the suction surface of the article W to be sucked and the vacuum pad 103 is opposite, the end of the vacuum pad 103 is covered. After contacting the adsorbent W, the first abutted portion and its surroundings move so as to rub on the adsorbed object W before moving to the adsorbing state. In The vacuum pad 103 is so worn that the period until the vacuum pad 103 can no longer be used is shortened and the frequency of vacuum pad replacement is increased. In some cases, the vacuum pad is damaged. There was a problem of fear.

  In view of the above problems, the present invention can stably convey the object to be adsorbed W without being shaken when the object to be adsorbed W is conveyed, and the vacuum pad can be adsorbed to the object to be adsorbed W. A vacuum pad device is provided in which the direction of inclination between the suction surface of the object to be attracted W and the vacuum pad 103 is not reversed.

  In the present invention, the vacuum pad device can stably convey the object to be adsorbed W, and the vacuum pad is adsorbed so as not to be damaged.

A hand unit that transports the object W to be adsorbed by the transport device is provided. The hand unit is provided with a spring shift that is slidable in the vertical direction with respect to the hand unit, and the sliding part between the spring shift and the hand unit is slid. A brake means that can be stopped; a lower end of the spring shift is provided with a vacuum pad; and the spring shift is further provided with an urging means capable of applying an urging force for urging the vacuum pad downward;
The vacuum pad is moved by sliding the hand part relative to the hand part, and the suction pad is pressed against the object to be adsorbed by the urging force applied by the urging means, and adsorbs the object to be adsorbed. A vacuum pad device, wherein the brake means can stop sliding between the spring shift and the hand portion when the hand portion is raised;

  I will provide a. In this vacuum pad device, the hand portion is lowered, and the vacuum pad is lowered accordingly, and comes into contact with the object to be adsorbed. When the hand part further descends after contact, the position of the vacuum pad becomes the position of the attracted object, so that the spring shift slides with the hand part and only the hand part descends. And the biasing means provided in the spring shift presses the vacuum pad against the object to be adsorbed. At this time, the plurality of vacuum pads absorb the height difference of the adsorption surface of the object to be adsorbed and adsorb to the object to be adsorbed.

After the vacuum pad adsorbs the object to be adsorbed, the brake means is fixed so that the spring shift cannot slide with the hand portion. As a result, the spring shift and the hand portion are fixed.
Next, the hand unit is moved upward so as to move the object to be adsorbed upward. Then, the vacuum pad moves upward while maintaining the state when the vacuum pad is adsorbed to the object to be adsorbed.
Moreover, in this invention, the vacuum pad of this vacuum pad apparatus is

  A locking portion that pivotably locks with the lower end of the spring shift, and the locking portion includes a tilt return means for rotating the vacuum pad to bias the tilt;

Structure. In this way, the vacuum pad is pivotally attached to the spring shift, but since the tilting return means is provided as a biasing means in the pivotable locking portion, the vacuum pad normally does not rotate without being rotated. The object to be adsorbed is positioned at a predetermined angle with respect to the spring shift, that is, at an angle at which the object to be adsorbed is indicated at a right angle.
And, when adsorbing the object to be adsorbed, if the adsorption surface angle of the object to be adsorbed is inclined, when a part of the vacuum pad reaches this inclined adsorption surface and is moved to be further adsorbed, The suction surface of the vacuum pad is rotated by the locking portion so that the front surface of the vacuum pad is along the inclined suction surface. At this time, the inclination returning means provided in the locking portion is rotated so that the vacuum pad swings against the biasing force by the vacuum pad pressing force to the object to be adsorbed.
Then, after the vacuum pad is adsorbed to the object to be adsorbed, it is moved in the same manner as described above.
Further, when the object to be adsorbed is removed from the vacuum pad, the vacuum pad that has been rotated and tilted is returned again to a predetermined angle with respect to the spring shift by the biasing force of the tilt return means.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, when an object to be adsorbed such as an outer plate of an automobile is adsorbed by a plurality of vacuum pads, even if the adsorbing surface of the object to be adsorbed has a height difference for each vacuum pad, the spring shift After the sliding movement with respect to the hand part absorbs the height difference, the brake means fixes the spring shift and the hand part at the position after the height difference absorption. It has the effect of being able to move stably without being tilted. In addition, there is an effect that it is possible to prevent shaking and shaking when the hand unit is moved up.

Further, since the vacuum pad is always urged by the tilt returning means to a predetermined state that is not inclined, the vacuum pad does not reversely tilt when it reaches the inclined suction surface of the object to be sucked. It has the effect that it can reach the adsorption surface. And this effect has the effect that it is possible to reduce the wear of the vacuum pad and to prevent the damage caused by the vacuum pad being inclined opposite to the suction surface.
Furthermore, since the adsorption support of the object to be adsorbed can be stabilized, it is possible to convey the workpiece while inclining or rotating it, and it is possible to stably convey while avoiding the obstacle in the process. It has the effect.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front explanatory view showing a state before the embodiment of the present invention adsorbs an object to be adsorbed, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory front view showing a state in which the embodiment of the present invention adsorbs an object to be adsorbed. 3 is a front explanatory view showing a state in which an adsorbed object adsorbed by the embodiment of the present invention is removed, and FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the operation of this embodiment. FIG. ) Is an explanatory view showing the after operation.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a vacuum pad device 1 according to the present invention. The vacuum pad device 1 is provided with a hand portion 2 in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. Although not shown, the hand unit 2 is connected to a conveying means (not shown), and is freely moved in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, the front-rear direction, and the space. A plurality of spring shifts 3 are attached to the hand portion 2, and vacuum pads 4 are attached to the lower portions of the spring shifts 3. Therefore, the hand unit 2 forms a frame of the vacuum pad device 1 and may be appropriately shaped, and the number of spring shifts 3 and vacuum pads 4 to be attached is also the weight of the object W to be transported. However, here, the spring shift 3 and the vacuum pad 4 attached to both ends of the hand portion 2 will be described as an example. However, this is merely for the purpose of explanation, and the number thereof may be appropriately provided as described above, and the attachment position is not limited to the end portion of the hand portion 2, and may be an intermediate portion or other portion.
Therefore, the hand part 2 is formed of a metal body such as a strong prism. As shown in FIG. 1, shaft insertion holes 21 through which the spring shift 3 can be inserted are formed at both ends of the hand portion 2. The shaft insertion hole 21 has a diameter that allows the spring shift 3 to slide. The shaft insertion hole 21 may be formed at an appropriate position according to the object to be adsorbed W.

  A brake mechanism 5 that adheres to the hand portion 2 is provided at a position where the shaft insertion hole 21 of the hand portion 2 is formed. The brake mechanism 5 is a brake means for fixing the spring shift 3 so that it cannot slide in the shaft insertion hole 21. The brake mechanism 5 includes a hydraulic cylinder (not shown), and a pressing portion (not shown) pushed out by the hydraulic cylinder (not shown) presses and fixes the spring shift 3 so that the spring shift 3 is positioned at that position. The shaft insertion hole 21 can be fixed so that it cannot slide, and a hydraulic circuit is connected to the hydraulic connection portion 51. Although the hydraulic circuit will not be described in detail, it may be a hydraulic circuit provided in advance in an automobile factory or the like, and of course, the vacuum pad device 1 may be provided independently. This hydraulic circuit is a commonly used hydraulic circuit that can supply and discharge oil for hydraulic operation.

In this embodiment, the brake mechanism 5 has an open state in which the spring shift 3 is freely slidable by hydraulic pressure, and the spring shift 3 is not slid freely, and the relative position with respect to the hand portion 2 is fixed. However, as long as the brake means can take the open state and the closed state, a brake means using a pneumatic circuit or a magnet may be used. And means for the operation may be selected as appropriate.
The brake mechanism 5 is controlled by a hydraulic pressure input from the outside. This control is performed by a separately provided control unit (not shown), and the vacuum pad 4 is adsorbed and fixed to the object W to be adsorbed or adsorbed. Immediately after that, the spring shift 3 is fixed. In this embodiment, the brake mechanism 5 has a cylindrical shape and is formed integrally with the hand portion 2 by forming a shaft insertion hole 21 therein.

The spring shift 3 includes a locking portion 31 to which the vacuum pad 4 is fixed at the lower end, and an air connection portion 32 to which an air circuit for sucking the vacuum pad 4 is fixed at the upper end. The spring shift 3 has a cylindrical shape, and the air connection portion 32 to the vacuum pad 4 connected via the locking portion 31 is formed in the center so that air is sucked from the air connection portion 32 when the vacuum pad 4 is adsorbed. Suction is possible and air can be supplied from the air connection portion 32 to the vacuum pad 4 at the end of suction. The air connecting portion 32 may not be provided in the spring shift 3, but may be formed so as to be directly connected to an air circuit provided separately for the vacuum pad 4. The vacuum pad 4 only needs to be equipped with an air connection portion at an appropriate position, as long as the suction and suction end can be performed by air suction and air supply from the air circuit.
Therefore, the air connection portion 32 and the spring shift 3 main body are formed so as to keep airtightness with the vacuum pad 4.

  Further, the spring shift 3 is provided with a coil spring 33 which is a biasing means between the vacuum pad 4 and the hand portion 2. The coil spring 33 applies a biasing force to the vacuum pad 4 when the spring shift 3 slides in the shaft insertion hole 21 and the hand portion 2 moves to the vacuum pad 4 side. That is, after the vacuum pad 4 reaches the object to be adsorbed W and the movement of the vacuum pad 4 is inhibited, the coil spring 33 adsorbs the vacuum pad 4 when the hand unit 2 further moves to the object to be adsorbed W side. It is formed so as to press against the object W. The coil spring 33 is installed such that its upper end contacts the hand portion 2 and its lower end contacts a flange portion 34 provided at the lower end of the spring shift 3.

The vacuum pad 4 is pivotally supported by the engaging portion 31 of the spring shift 3 so as to be rotatable. In FIGS. 1 to 3, this shaft support is represented as if it swings about one axis as a center of rotation. It is locked so that the head can be swung freely in the entire range of 360 degrees as possible. Such a mechanism may be a conventional free shaft joint with two shafts or a bearing such as a ball shaft.
The vacuum pad 4 is airtightly connected to the air connection portion 32, and the air between the pad main body 41 and the object to be adsorbed W when the pad main body 41 comes into contact with the adsorption surface of the object to be adsorbed W. Is sucked into the air circuit so that it can be adsorbed to the object W to be adsorbed. The pad main body 41 is formed of a material suitable for adsorption such as soft silicon rubber, and has a trapezoidal shape in which the base is fixed to a firmly formed pad head 42 and the side that comes into contact with the object to be adsorbed W has a large area. Is made. The pad head 42 is rotatably engaged with the engaging portion 31 of the spring shift 3.
However, even if the coil spring 33 is not provided, the function can be achieved only by the weight of the spring shift 3. In this case, it is effective when the object to be adsorbed W is moved downward to be adsorbed and conveyed, and the vacuum pad device 1 is lowered so that the vacuum pad 4 comes into contact with the object to be adsorbed W and can be adsorbed. In this state, the brake mechanism 5 fixes each vacuum pad 4, and in this state, the entire vacuum pad device 1 is slightly lowered to bring the vacuum pad 4 into close contact with the object W to be adsorbed, and then the inside of the vacuum pad 4 is sucked. Thus, the object W is configured to be adsorbed.

Further, a return spring 6 as an inclination return means is provided between the upper portion of the vacuum pad 4 and the flange portion 34. The return spring 6 is compressed between the flange portion 34 and the pad head 42 and can be urged so that the vacuum pad 4 always returns to its original position when the vacuum pad 4 is inclined about the locking portion 31. It is.
In this embodiment, the return spring 6 is provided as the biasing means as the tilt returning means, but the tilt returning means may be formed of rubber having elasticity such as a rubber bushing.

The operation of the vacuum pad device 1 formed in this way will be described below.
In addition, in the state which is not adsorbing the to-be-adsorbed object W, the brake mechanism 5 is an open state which makes the spring shift 3 free.
As shown in FIG. 1, the vacuum pad device 1 is moved above the object to be adsorbed W by a conveying means (not shown) in order to adsorb the object to be adsorbed W and then moved downward.
Eventually, any vacuum pad 4 of the vacuum pad device 1 comes into contact with the object W to be adsorbed. In FIG. 1 in this embodiment, the vacuum pad 4 on the right side in the drawing first comes into contact with the object W to be adsorbed. When the vacuum pad 4 on the right side is further moved downward, the vacuum pad 4 swings about the locking portion 31 and has the same inclination as the inclination of the adsorption surface of the object W to be adsorbed. At this time, the return spring 6 is slightly shortened by pressing one side against the urging force by the swing of the vacuum pad 4. That is, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the vacuum pad 4 is in the initial state, it comes into contact with the suction surface of the object to be adsorbed W, and when the vacuum pad 4 is further pressed against the adsorption surface of the object to be adsorbed W from that state. As shown in (a), the vacuum pad 4 swings around the locking portion 31 so as to have the same inclination as the inclination of the suction surface against the urging force of the return spring 6.

Further, in order to press another vacuum pad 4 against the object to be attracted W, the hand portion 2 is further moved downward. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the vacuum pad 4 on the left side in the figure is also pressed against the object W to be adsorbed. The height difference that can be absorbed by the work is determined by the sliding length of the spring shift.
As described above, the spring shift 3 can freely slide in the shaft insertion hole 21, so that the height difference can be absorbed even if the height of the suction surface of the object W to be attracted is different for each vacuum pad 4.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2, when all the vacuum pads 4 reach the suction surface of the object to be attracted W and the pad main body 41 is in parallel with the suction surface and can be sucked, it is connected to the air connection portion 32. The air circuit to be sucked sucks air between the pad main body 41 and the suction surface of each vacuum pad 4, and the vacuum pad 4 sucks and fixes the object W to be sucked.
At the same time, a hydraulic circuit (not shown) connected to the hydraulic connection portion 51 of the brake mechanism 5 is operated by a separately provided control unit (not shown), and the brake mechanism 5 fixes each spring shift 3 to the hand unit 2. It will be in the closed state.
With the brake mechanism 5 closed, the hand unit 2 and the spring shift 3 are fixed, and the conveying means (not shown) moves the hand unit 2 upward. Then, as the hand part 2 moves, all the spring shifts 3 are moved while being fixed without changing the relative position with respect to the hand part 2, so that the object W to be adsorbed and supported is stabilized. Can be transported.

  And after conveying the to-be-adsorbed object W to a desired position, the air circuit (not shown) connected to the air connection part 32 sends air between the vacuum pad 4 and the to-be-adsorbed object W (simply terminates air suction). The hydraulic circuit is operated by a control unit (not shown) to release the adsorption of the object W to be adsorbed and simultaneously release the fixing of the spring shift 3 by the brake mechanism 5, so that the brake mechanism 5 The fixation with the hand part 2 is released, and the sliding in the shaft insertion hole 21 is made possible. And if a conveyance means (not shown) moves the vacuum pad apparatus 1 upwards, the to-be-adsorbed object W will be removed from the vacuum pad apparatus 1. FIG. When the vacuum pad device 1 is further moved upward, the spring shift 3 slides downward in the shaft insertion hole 21 by the urging force of the coil spring 33 and the weight of the spring shift 3, and moves downward most in the initial state. Moved.

  At this time, the vacuum pad 4 that has been rotated so as to have the same inclination as that of the adsorption surface of the object to be adsorbed W is initialized by the return spring 6 exerting its urging force from the state of FIG. Returned to position.

  The present invention can be used in a production factory using a vacuum pad device capable of transporting a semi-finished product or a product using a vacuum pad, and is effective when used in an automobile manufacturing factory or a construction machine product manufacturing factory using an automatic process. .

Front explanatory drawing showing the state before the example of this invention adsorbs an object to be adsorbed Front explanatory drawing showing the state where the example of this invention adsorbed to-be-adsorbed object Front explanatory drawing showing the state where the object to be adsorbed according to the embodiment of the present invention was removed It is a figure explaining the effect | action of this Example, (a) represents before an effect | action, (b) represents after an effect | action. Front explanatory view showing a conventional example Front explanatory view showing the state after the conventional example has adsorbed the object to be adsorbed It is a partial explanatory view explaining the state at the time of adsorption of a conventional example, (a) explanatory diagram at the time of adsorption, (b) is an explanatory diagram at the time of adsorption failure

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vacuum pad apparatus 2 Hand part 21 Shaft insertion hole 3 Spring shift 31 Locking part 32 Air connection part 33 Coil spring 34 Flange part 4 Vacuum pad 41 Pad main body 42 Pad head 5 Brake mechanism 51 Hydraulic connection part 6 Return spring

Claims (3)

A hand unit that transports the object to be adsorbed by the transport device is provided. The hand unit is provided with a spring shift that can slide in the vertical direction with respect to the hand unit, and sliding is stopped at the sliding part between the spring shift and the hand unit. With possible brake means, with a vacuum pad at the lower end of the spring shift,
The vacuum pad is lowered by the hand part and the spring shift is slid with respect to the hand part. After the vacuum pad comes into contact with the object to be adsorbed, the brake means stops sliding between the spring shift and the hand part and is adsorbed. A vacuum pad device characterized by being capable of adsorbing objects. A hand unit that transports the object to be adsorbed by the transport device is provided. The hand unit is provided with a spring shift that can slide in the vertical direction with respect to the hand unit, and sliding is stopped at the sliding part between the spring shift and the hand unit. A brake means capable of being provided, a lower end of the spring shift is provided with a vacuum pad, and the spring shift is further provided with a biasing means capable of applying a biasing force for biasing the vacuum pad downward,
The vacuum pad is moved by sliding the hand part against the hand part, and the suction pad is pressed against the object to be adsorbed by the urging force applied by the urging means to adsorb the object. A vacuum pad device characterized in that the brake means can stop sliding between the spring shift and the hand part when the part ascends. 3. The vacuum pad is provided with an engaging portion that is rotatably engaged with the lower end of the spring shift, and the engaging portion is provided with an inclination returning means for energizing the inclination by rotating the vacuum pad. A vacuum pad device according to claim 1.

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