JP2011255434A - Tool holder of manipulator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stably hold a tool for a long period of time with a fixed posture when holding a chuck in a vertical state so that the tool is not released by the vibration of a manipulator itself and a peripheral machine, the contact of an operator or the like, and to automatically exchange tools by attaching the tool in the state of being positioned accurately with respect to the manipulator.SOLUTION: The tool holder includes: a fixed side holding member provided with a center shaft having an axis in a horizontal direction and projected from a standing surface, and positioning shafts having axes in horizontal directions and projected from positions separated from the center shaft; and a movable side holding member fixed to the tool and having journaling holes for journaling the center shaft and the positioning shafts respectively. Also, magnetic attraction members are provided on the counter surface of the movable side holding member in the fixed side holding member.

Description

  The present invention relates to a manipulator tool that detachably holds various tools that are attached to an arm of a manipulator that is controlled so as to continuously repeat a predetermined operation based on a control program, such as an industrial robot. It relates to a holding tool.

  A chuck as a tool (attachment) attached to a robot that takes out a molded product as an industrial robot, which is a type of manipulator, must be manufactured individually according to the type of molded product, and is near the resin molding machine ( On the way to the molded product release position or on the non-operating side), a tool holder that holds multiple chucks individually manufactured for the molded product is placed and mounted on the molded product take-out robot according to the molded product to be removed. The chuck to be used can be replaced.

As a tool holder that is attached to the tool holder and holds various tools (chucks) in a replaceable manner, for example, the one shown in Non-Patent Document 1 is known. The tool holder shown in Non-Patent Document 1 detachably holds each chuck as a tool manufactured according to various molded products mounted on a molded product take-out robot as a manipulator attached to a resin molding machine. In the resin molding machine, it is attached to a stand arranged on the way to the molded product release position or on the side opposite to the operation side, and fixed to a fixed-side holding member and chuck to which a positioning shaft for positioning and locking is fixed. The movable side holding member is formed with a shaft hole into which the shaft is inserted.

When the chuck is held in a horizontal state with respect to the tool holder, the fixed-side holding member is fixed to the stand so that the axis of the entry shaft faces the vertical direction. Then, the arm of the molded product take-out robot is controlled so that the shaft hole of the movable side holding member is aligned with the entering shaft of the fixed side holding member, and then the movement control is performed so that the shaft hole is inserted into the entering shaft. Then, hold the chuck in a horizontal state. In this case, the tool holder can stably hold the chuck for a long time in a constant horizontal posture.

However, when holding the chuck in a vertical state using the tool holder described above, the fixed side holding member is fixed to the stand so that its entry shaft faces in the horizontal direction, and the Thus, the chuck is held by inserting the shaft hole of the movable side holding member.

For this reason, the holding posture of the chuck with respect to the fixed-side holding member greatly depends on the insertion state of the entry shaft with respect to the shaft hole. Accordingly, the movement of the movable platen in the resin molding machine and the movement of the arm in the molded product takeout robot The entry shaft is easily detached from the shaft hole due to vibration generated by the operator, contact with the operator, etc., or the position of the shaft is easily displaced, and the chuck cannot be stably held for a long time with a fixed posture with respect to the stand. Yes.

As a result, in order to enable automatic tool change by the manipulator, it is required that the tool is always held in a fixed posture.However, if the holding posture of the tool is disturbed, the manipulator is controlled to move. When the tool was automatically changed, the tool could not be mounted with the tool positioned accurately with respect to the manipulator. Therefore, the conventional tool holder described above has made it difficult to automatically change the tool by the manipulator.

Catalog "Eins" Star Seiki Co., Ltd. Vol. 2 pages 290-295

  The problem to be solved is that when the chuck is held in a vertical state by a conventional tool holder, the tool is easily detached due to vibration of the manipulator itself and peripheral machines, contact of the operator, etc. However, it cannot be stably held for a long time. Further, it is difficult to automatically change the tool to be mounted while the tool is accurately positioned with respect to the manipulator.

  The present invention relates to a tool holder for detachably holding a plurality of tools manufactured according to a predetermined operation in a vertical state in a manipulator that performs a predetermined operation by controlling movement of a tool that is detachably attached to an arm. The tool holder is provided with a center shaft that protrudes with an axis in the horizontal direction on the standing surface and a positioning shaft that protrudes with an axis in the horizontal direction at a position spaced from the center shaft. The side holding member and the movable side holding member fixed to the tool and each having a shaft support hole for supporting the center shaft and the positioning shaft, and the relative surface of the movable side holding member in the fixed side holding member, The main feature is that a magnetic attracting member is provided.

  In the present invention, when the chuck is held in a vertical state, the tool can be detached due to vibrations of the manipulator itself and peripheral machines, contact of an operator, etc., and the tool can be stably held for a long time in a fixed posture. . Further, the tool can be automatically exchanged by mounting the tool in a state where the tool is accurately positioned with respect to the manipulator.

It is a schematic perspective view which shows the example which applied the tool holder to the molded article take-out machine as a manipulator. It is a disassembled perspective view of the attachment state of a chuck | zipper and a tool holder. It is a center longitudinal cross-sectional view of a tool attaching / detaching apparatus. It is longitudinal cross-sectional explanatory drawing which shows the relative state of the movable side holding member with respect to a stationary side holding member. It is longitudinal cross-sectional explanatory drawing which shows the protrusion state of the chuck | zipper by a tool attaching / detaching apparatus. It is longitudinal cross-sectional explanatory drawing which shows the magnetic adsorption state of the movable side holding member with respect to a stationary side holding member. It is longitudinal cross-sectional explanatory drawing which shows the fixing state of the chuck | zipper by a tool attaching / detaching apparatus. It is a cross-sectional explanatory drawing which shows the state which protruded and removed | separated the movable side holding member from the stationary side holding member.

  The present invention provides a fixed-side holding member provided with a center shaft that protrudes with an axis in the horizontal direction on the standing surface, and a positioning shaft that protrudes with an axis in the horizontal direction at a position spaced from the center shaft; A movable holding member fixed to the tool and having a shaft support hole for supporting the center shaft and the positioning shaft, and a magnetic attracting member is provided on a relative surface of the movable side holding member in the fixed side holding member. Main features.

The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings showing examples.
1 to 3, the molded product take-out robot 1 as a manipulator takes out a molded product by controlling the movement of a chuck 3 as a tool between molds of a resin molding machine and between molded product release positions. It has. The molded product take-out robot 1 has a base frame that is fixed to a stationary platen 5 of the resin molding machine and extends to the operation side or the non-operation side of the resin molding machine in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of the resin molding machine. The first traveling body 9 supported so as to reciprocate in the longitudinal direction on the top 7 is supported so as to reciprocate in the longitudinal direction on the front and rear frames 11 extending in a direction coinciding with the central axis. Two traveling bodies 13, an upper and lower arm 15 having an axis line in the vertical direction on the second traveling body 13 and supported so as to move up and down with a predetermined stroke, and a chuck 3 attached to a lower portion of the upper and lower arms 15 Consists of. In the illustrated example, the chuck 3 holds the molded product by a holding member 3a such as a suction pad and takes it out to a molded product release position.

The first and second traveling bodies 9 and 13 and the upper and lower arms 15 are reciprocated in a predetermined direction by electric motors (not shown) such as servo motors and linear motors so as to be numerically controllable. Further, the chuck 3 is manufactured by arranging an adsorption member and a clamp member corresponding to each molded product molded by a resin molding machine.

The chuck 3 is fixed to the lower part of the upper and lower arms 15 by a tool attaching / detaching device 17. The tool attaching / detaching device 17 has the same structure as the robot arm coupling device according to Japanese Patent No. 4126074 owned by the applicant of the present application, and has an arm side attachment 19 fixed to the lower part of the upper and lower arms 15 and a tool fixed to the chuck. The side attachment 21 is used.

The arm attachment 19 moves between a lock position and an unlock position, and a cam member 19b having a plurality of locking inclined grooves 19a on the outer peripheral surface at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. An actuating member 19c that moves between the unlocking positions, and a locking ball 19d that is provided on the outer peripheral surface side of the cam member 19b and is disposed opposite to the locking inclined groove 19a is orthogonal to the moving direction of the cam member 19b. An unlocking ball 19f supported by a ball support member 19e, which is movably supported in a radial direction, and a ball support member 19e, which is positioned between the locking balls 19d, so as to be movable in a radial direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the cam member 19b. A plurality of cam members 19b positioned between the locking inclined grooves 19a and inclined in the opposite direction to the locking inclined grooves 19a. Consisting of projecting inclined grooves 19g.

On the other hand, the tool side attachment 21 has a space portion at the center, and when the cam member 19b moves to the lock position, the lock ball 19d is engaged to connect and hold the attachments 19 and 21 together. The ball receiving member 21b having the mating inclined groove 21a and the ball receiving member 21b positioned between the engaging inclined grooves 21a are provided with a plurality of detaching inclined grooves 21c inclined in the opposite direction to the engaging inclined groove 21a.

When the tool attaching / detaching device 17 operates the operating member 19c to move the cam member 19b from the unlocking position to the locking position, the tool attaching / detaching device 17 moves the locking ball 19d slidably contacting the locking inclined groove 19a outward in the radial direction. The tool-side attachment 21 is fixed to the arm-side attachment 19 by engaging with the engaging inclined groove 21a.

Further, when the operating member 19c is moved backward in the above state to move the cam member 19b from the locked position to the unlocked position, the locking ball 19d engaged with the engaging inclined groove 21a can move inward in the radial direction. At the same time, the unlocking ball 19f is moved radially outward by the protruding inclined groove 19g and is brought into sliding contact with the releasing inclined groove 21c, thereby forcibly releasing the tool side attachment 21 from the arm side attachment 19.

A movable side holding member 25 constituting a part of the chuck 3 and the tool holder 23 is fixed to a surface of the tool side attachment 21 opposite to the arm side attachment 19. The movable side holding member 25 is formed of a metal material that can be magnetically attracted. In the movable side holding member 25, a central shaft support hole 25a is formed at the horizontal central portion, and side shaft support concave portions 25b are formed at respective ends spaced apart from the central shaft support hole 25a in the horizontal direction. ing.

A plurality of tool holders 23 are provided on the way to the molded product release position outside the resin molding machine, and holding stands 27 for holding the chuck 3 in a detachable manner are arranged. The holding stand 27 is provided on the side facing the molded product holding surface of the chuck 3 at intervals such that the chucks 3 that hold the plurality of holding arms 29 in the vertical and horizontal directions do not interfere with each other.

A fixed-side holding member 31 constituting a part of the tool holder 23 is fixed to the distal end portion of each holding arm 29. The fixed-side holding member 31 is fixed to an upright plate 31b that stands upright in the front end portion of the mounting plate 31a fixed to the front end portion of the holding arm 29, and an upright plate 31b that faces the center shaft support hole 21d. The center shaft 31c has an axis in the horizontal direction and protrudes with a predetermined axis length.

Further, on the upright plate 31b opposed to the side shaft supporting recess 25b, there are arranged positioning shafts 31d having an axial line in the horizontal direction and projecting with a predetermined axial length, and these positioning shafts 31d are arranged on the side shafts. The movable side holding member 25 and thus the chuck 3 are positioned in a predetermined posture by being inserted into the support recess 25b.

  When the center shaft 31c is inserted into the center shaft support hole 21d, the tip end portion of the center shaft 31c passes through the hole 3b formed in the chuck 3 and the ball bearing member 21b of the tool side attachment 21, and the arm side attachment 19 is inserted. When the cam member 19b is moved to the lock position, the cam member 19b has an axial length that can be brought into contact with the distal end surface during the movement of the cam member 19b. Further, the positioning shaft 31d has an axial length that fits into the side shaft support recess 25b.

Further, a plurality of magnetic attracting members 33 made of, for example, neodymium magnets, electromagnets, or the like are attached to the relative surface of the chuck 3 in the upright plate 31b at appropriate intervals in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.

Next, the holding action of the chuck 3 by the tool holder 23 configured as described above will be described. In the holding stand 27, for example, the chuck 3 is not held by the tool holder 23 at the upper right portion as viewed from the chuck 3 side, and a different chuck 3 is provided at the tool holder 23 at other locations. Assume that each is held.

The first and second traveling bodies 9 and 13 and the upper and lower arms 15 are controlled to move the chuck 3, and the center shaft 31c of the fixed side holding member 31 in the tool holder 23 in which the chuck 3 is not held in the holding stand 27 is movable. The positioning shaft 31d is positioned so as to face the central shaft support hole 25a of the side holding member 25 and the side shaft support recess 25b. (See Figure 4)

In the above state, the second traveling body 13 is further advanced to cause the center shaft 31c to enter the center shaft support hole 25a and the positioning shaft 31d into the side shaft support recess 25b. The cam member 19b is moved from the locked position to the unlocked position so that the locking ball 19d engaged with the engaging inclined groove 21a can move inward in the radial direction, and the unlocking ball is protruded by the protruding inclined groove 19g. The tool side attachment 21 is forcibly detached from the arm side attachment 19 by moving 19f radially outward and slidingly contacting the separation inclined groove 21c. (See Figure 5)

When the tool side attachment 21 is forcibly detached from the arm side attachment 19 by the above operation, the movable side holding member 25, and hence the chuck 3, is magnetically attracted by the magnetic attraction member 33 with respect to the fixed side holding member 31. Is held by the holding stand 27. (See Figure 6)

  The operation timing of the actuating member 19c of the arm side attachment 19 is set, for example, by attaching a detector (not shown) such as an optical detector or a hall element to the fixed side holding member 31 and to the fixed side holding member 31. When the movable side holding member 25 comes close to within a predetermined range, the operation member 19c may be operated based on a signal output from the detector.

Accordingly, the chuck 3 is positioned with respect to the fixed holding member 31 of the holding stand 27 in which the center shaft 31c is inserted into the central shaft support hole 25a and the positioning shaft 31d is inserted into the side shaft support recess 25b. Further, it is held in a vertical state where it is magnetically attracted by the magnetic attracting member 33 in a rotation stopped state.

The unlocking operation and the projecting operation of the tool side attachment 21 with respect to the arm side attachment 19 are such that the center shaft 31c is in the center shaft support hole 25a and the positioning shaft 31d is in the side shaft support when the second traveling body 13 is advanced. You may perform at the timing which each plunged into the recessed part 25b. In this case, the chuck 3 fixed to the protruding tool side attachment 21 is held by the fixed side holding member 31 by the magnetic adsorption force of the magnetic adsorption member 33.

  On the other hand, in order to fix another chuck 3 corresponding to a molded product to the upper and lower arms 15 as described above, the first and second traveling bodies 9 and 13 and the upper and lower arms 15 are moved and controlled in the same manner as described above. The attachment 19 is made to face the tool side attachment 21 fixed to the chuck 3 held by the holding stand 27.

  Next, the second traveling body 13 is controlled to move forward, the arm side attachment 19 is inserted into the tool side attachment 21, and then the operating member 19c is operated to move the cam member 19b from the unlocked position to the locked position. The tool-side attachment 21 is fixed to the arm-side attachment 19 by moving the locking ball 19d slidably contacting the inclined groove 19a radially outward and engaging with the engaging inclined groove 21a. As a result, the chuck 3 is fixed to the lower portion of the upper and lower arms 15.

While the cam member 19b moves to the locking position, when the locking ball 19d is partially engaged with the engaging inclined groove 21a, the moving cam member 19b is brought into contact with the tip surface of the center shaft 31c. After the movable side holding member 25 fixed to the tool side attachment 21 and the chuck 3 is forcibly separated from the fixed side holding member 31 against the magnetic adsorption force of the magnetic adsorption member 33, the second traveling body 13 is moved. The mounting operation of the predetermined chuck 3 corresponding to the molded product to be removably moved backward is completed. (See Figs. 7 and 8)

In this embodiment, the chuck 3 is inserted into the fixed holding member 31 of the holding stand 27, the center shaft 31c is inserted into the central shaft support hole 25a, and the positioning shaft 31d is inserted into the side shaft support recess 25b. It can be held in the extended state and in the vertical state magnetically attracted by the magnetic attracting member 33.

For this reason, when the chuck 3 is held by the holding stand 27, the chuck 3 is held in a state that prevents the chuck 3 from dropping from the holding stand 27 due to vibrations of the apparatus or the like or contact of the operator, and the holding posture is not disturbed. Allow automatic replacement.

When another chuck 3 set on the holding stand 27 is mounted, the cam member 19b is moved to the lock position while the arm side attachment 19 is inserted into the tool side attachment 21, and the locking ball 19d is moved. A movable side fixed to the tool side attachment 21 and the chuck 3 from the fixed side holding member 31 by bringing the moving cam member 19b into contact with the tip surface of the center shaft 31c when the engaging inclined groove 21a is partially engaged. The holding member 25 can be forcibly separated against the magnetic adsorption force of the magnetic adsorption member 33 to release the holding with certainty.

In the above description, the cam member 19b is moved to the lock position in a state in which the arm side attachment 19 is inserted into the tool side attachment 21, and the moving cam member 19b is brought into contact with the distal end surface of the center shaft 31c to thereby fix the fixed side holding member. The movable side holding member 25 fixed to the tool side attachment 21 and the chuck 3 from 31 is forcibly separated against the magnetic attraction force of the magnetic attraction member 33, but due to the backward movement force of the second traveling body 13. It may be configured to forcibly separate against the magnetic adsorption force by the magnetic adsorption member 33.

In addition, at least the positioning shaft 31d of the center shaft 31c and the positioning shaft 31d in the fixed side holding member 31 is configured to be able to protrude by an operating member such as an air cylinder or an electromagnetic solenoid, and the positioning shaft 31d is movable by the operation of the operating member. A configuration in which the movable side holding member 25, which protrudes toward the holding member 25 and is fixed to the tool side attachment 21 and the chuck 3 from the fixed side holding member 31, is forcibly separated from the magnetic attraction force of the magnetic attraction member 33. It is good.

Further, although the magnetic attracting member 33 is a permanent magnet, it may be composed of an electromagnet. In this case, the chuck 3 can be easily detached from the fixed side holding member 31 by controlling the magnetic drive of the electromagnet to be OFF at the timing when the second traveling body 13 is moved backward.

In the above description, the movable side holding member 25 is made of a metal material such as iron or stainless steel that can be magnetically attracted. However, the movable side holding member 25 is fixed to the chuck 3 and moved together. For this reason, in order to improve the movement responsiveness of the chuck 3 and enable high-speed movement, the movable side holding member 25 is made of a metal material having nonmagnetic adsorption characteristics, such as aluminum (including an aluminum alloy). It is desirable to do.

In this case, in order to enable magnetic attraction of the movable side holding member 25 by the magnetic attraction member 33 provided on the fixed side holding member 31, the above-described magnetically attracted metal is provided at a position corresponding to the magnetic attraction member 33. It is good also as a structure which fixed the material.

In the above description, the holding stand 27 is operated on the resin molding machine, and the chuck 3 that is vertically attached to the lower part of the upper and lower arms 15 is held in the posture on the way to the molded product release position. However, in a configuration in which a posture rotation unit (not shown) for rotating the chuck 3 including the tool attaching / detaching device 17 to the lower part of the upper and lower arms 15 is provided by being attached to the lower arm 15 to control the rotation of the posture. The holding stand 27 may be disposed below the traveling frame 7 on the operation side of the resin molding machine.

Similarly, of course, the traveling origin side of the traveling frame 7 may be extended to the non-operation side of the resin molding machine, and the holding stand 27 may be disposed on the non-operation side of the resin molding machine.

Moreover, although the said Example demonstrated the manipulator to the molded product taking-out robot as an example, it can be applied to various industrial robots. In that case, the tool attached to the arm may be a tool for executing an operation required for each industrial robot. Further, although the holding posture of the tool at 27 in the holding stand is set to the vertical state, in the present invention, the fixed side holding member is arranged so that the axis of the center axis and the positioning axis is vertical so that the tool can be held in a horizontal state. You may use the thing of the structure attached so that it may face.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mold take-out robot as a manipulator 3 Chuck 3a as a tool Holding member 3b Hole 5 Fixing plate 7 Traveling frame 9 First traveling body 11 Front and rear frame 13 Second traveling body 15 Vertical arm 17 Tool attaching / detaching device 19 Arm side attachment 19a Lock Inclined groove 19b cam member 19c actuating member 19d locking ball 19e ball support member 19f unlocking ball 19g protruding inclined groove 21 tool side attachment 21a engaging inclined groove 21b ball receiving member 21c detaching inclined groove 23 tool holder 25 Movable holding member 25a Central shaft support hole 25b Side shaft support recess 27 Holding stand 29 Holding arm 31 Fixed side holding member 31a Mounting plate 31b Standing plate 31c Center shaft 31d Positioning shaft 33 Magnetic adsorption member

Claims (9)

In a manipulator that performs a predetermined operation by moving and controlling a tool that is detachably attached to an arm,
A tool holder that detachably holds a plurality of tools manufactured according to a predetermined operation in a vertical state,
The tool holder is
A fixed-side holding member provided with a center shaft projecting with an axis in the horizontal direction on the standing surface and a positioning shaft projecting with an axis in the horizontal direction at a position spaced from the center shaft;
A movable side holding member fixed to the tool and having a shaft support hole for supporting the center shaft and the positioning shaft.
A tool holder for a manipulator, wherein a magnetic adsorption member is provided on a relative surface of the movable side holding member in the fixed side holding member. The operation member for moving the positioning shaft between the position where the positioning shaft is inserted into the corresponding shaft support hole and the position where the movable side holding member is separated from the fixed side holding member is provided. A tool holder for a manipulator that can forcibly release the magnetic adsorption of the movable holding member by the magnetic adsorption member. 3. The manipulator tool holder according to claim 2, wherein the magnetic adsorption member is a permanent magnet. The manipulator tool holder according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic attraction member is an electromagnet. The tool holder according to claim 1, wherein the tool is detachably attached to the arm of the manipulator via a tool attaching / detaching means. 6. The tool attachment / detachment means according to claim 5, comprising an arm side attachment fixed to the arm side and a tool side attachment fixed to the tool side. The arm side attachment moves between a lock position and a lock release position, A cam member having a plurality of locking inclined grooves formed on the surface, an actuating member for moving the cam member between a locking position and an unlocking position, and provided on the outer peripheral surface side of the cam member, And the tool-side attachment is a ball for locking when the cam member is moved to the lock position, and the tool side attachment is configured to support the ball for locking arranged in a radial direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the cam member. A tool holder for a manipulator provided with a ball receiving member in which a plurality of inclined grooves for engagement with which are engaged is formed. 6. The tool attachment / detachment means according to claim 5, comprising an arm side attachment fixed to the arm side and a tool side attachment fixed to the tool side. The arm side attachment moves between a lock position and a lock release position, A cam member having a plurality of locking inclined grooves formed on the surface, an actuating member for moving the cam member between a locking position and an unlocking position, and provided on the outer peripheral surface side of the cam member, The ball support member that supports the locking ball arranged in a radial direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the cam member, and the ball supporting member positioned between the locking balls has a radius orthogonal to the moving direction of the cam member. Formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cam member located between the locking slant groove and the locking slant groove, which is supported so as to be movable in the direction opposite to the locking slant groove A ball receiving member having a plurality of inclined grooves for engagement with which the locking ball is engaged when the cam member is moved to the lock position. A tool holder for a manipulator, which is formed on a ball receiving member positioned between engaging inclined grooves and includes a plurality of separating inclined grooves inclined in the opposite direction to the engaging inclined grooves. 8. The cam member according to claim 6, wherein the cam member is in a state where the movable side holding member is magnetically attracted to the fixed side holding member by the magnetic adsorption member, and the arm side attachment is inserted into the tool side attachment. When moving from the unlocked position to the locked position in a locked state, the manipulator is held in contact with the center shaft so that the movable side holding member can be forcibly removed from the fixed side holding member against the magnetic attraction force. Ingredients. 2. A tool holder for a manipulator according to claim 1, wherein the tool side holding member is made of a nonmagnetic adsorption metal material with a low specific gravity and is provided with a magnetic adsorption metal material at a location facing the magnetic adsorption member.

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