JP2012041101A - Workpiece aligning device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a workpiece aligning device that achieves quick and accurate alignment of a workpiece by a relatively simple configuration.SOLUTION: This device is a conveying device 1 for supplying a workpiece w such as a disc spring with the front and the rear having shapes different from each other and includes: a workpiece posture control section 2 on the conveyance-source side; a part feeder 3 for supplying the workpiece such that the upward face of the workpiece w conveyed to the conveyance-tip side is set to either one of the front and the rear; a workpiece hole 20 for accumulating the supplied workpiece w; a parts dropping block 30; and an extruder 10 for extruding the workpiece w to the parts dropping block 30. The parts dropping block 30 has a first chute 31 having a normal-rotation dropping groove and a second chute 32 having an inversion dropping groove. The first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the parts dropping block are alternatively selected so as to accumulate the workpiece w into the workpiece hole 20 by normally rotating or inverting the same.

Description

  The present invention relates to a workpiece aligning device that stacks workpieces such as disc springs having different front and back surfaces by appropriately reversing them during conveyance.

  For example, the plurality of disc springs incorporated in the hinge device is such that the front and back surfaces of the disc springs and the back and back surfaces abut so that the set of disc springs can generate a predetermined spring force. It is combined. In the assembly process of the hinge device using such a set of a plurality of disc springs, a set of a plurality of disc springs in which the front surface and the front surface and the back surface and the back surface abut in advance are prepared. In such a case, a workpiece aligning device that stacks the workpieces while being reversed appropriately during conveyance is used.

  Conventionally, as such a workpiece aligning apparatus, for example, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-316227 is known. This device has a parts feeder for supplying a plurality of workpieces having different shapes on the front and back surfaces to a chute inclined with the front or back surface of each workpiece facing downward, and a workpiece front / back detection unit installed at a fixed position on the chute And a workpiece posture reversing unit that reverses the workpiece based on the workpiece front / back detection signal from the workpiece front / back detection unit.

  For small electronic components incorporated in electronic devices, there is also known a work aligning device in which a vibration feeder is provided on a supply line and the components are vibrated on the conveyance path so that the postures of the components are aligned ( For example, Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2008-280128).

JP-A-10-316227 JP 2008-280128 A

  When a parts feeder is used in which the upward surface of the workpiece conveyed to the conveyance leading end side is set to either the front surface or the back surface in the conveyance device that supplies the workpiece, for example, a set of a plurality of disc springs as described above In order to realize the predetermined front / back combination, that is, to invert the work, if the work posture reversing unit for reversing the work based on the work front / back detection signal described above is used, the detection unit for detecting the front / back of the work becomes an essential component. . Such a work front / back detection unit or a work posture reversing unit that reverses the workpiece based on the detection signal is costly due to the number of parts required to implement this, and is sophisticated for long-term use. Since maintenance is also required, there is a disadvantage that the work aligning device is expensive.

  Therefore, the present invention is premised on using a parts feeder that includes a workpiece posture control unit on the conveyance source side, and supplies the workpiece with the upward surface of the workpiece conveyed to the conveyance tip side set to either the front surface or the back surface. A work alignment apparatus having a work hole for accumulating works, a part feeder and a part dropping block provided between the work holes, and capable of realizing the work alignment quickly and accurately with a relatively simple configuration This is a proposal.

The invention described in the first claim of the present application is a transfer device 1 for supplying a work w such as a disc spring having a front surface and a back surface different from each other when the reference numerals used in the specific examples described below are attached. A workpiece feeder 3 and a parts feeder 3 for supplying the workpiece w, which is transported to the transport tip side, set to either the front surface or the back surface;
A work hole 20 for accumulating the supplied work w;
In a workpiece alignment apparatus comprising a parts dropping block 30 provided between the parts feeder 3 and the work hole 20,
At the front end side of the parts feeder 3 is provided with an extrusion device 10 for extruding the sent work w to the parts dropping block 30;
The part dropping block 30 includes a first chute 31 having a normal fall groove and a second chute 32 having a reverse fall groove,
When the workpiece w supplied by the parts feeder 3 is pushed out to the parts dropping block 30 by the pushing device 10, the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the parts dropping block are selected. The workpiece aligning apparatus is configured such that the workpiece w is accumulated in the work hole 20 by being normally rotated or reversed by the part dropping block 30 by selecting one.

  The invention described in claim 2 of the present application is that, in the invention of claim 1, the part dropping block 30 is provided so as to reciprocate by the driving device 30A, and by this reciprocation, the part dropping block 30 is provided. A workpiece alignment device in which the alternative selection is made between the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of a block.

  The invention described in claim 3 of the present application is the work aligning device according to claim 1, wherein the extrusion device 10 includes a cutting plate 11 that reciprocates in the direction of the part dropping block 30. .

  The invention described in claim 4 of the present application is the movement of the workpiece w sent to the parts feeder 3 between the parts dropping block 30 and the extrusion device 10 in the invention of claim 1. Is a workpiece alignment device provided with a shutter device S for stopping or canceling the stop.

  The invention described in claim 5 of the present application is that, in the invention of claim 1, the part dropping block 30 is fixed, and the extrusion device 10 is configured such that the first chute 31 of the part dropping block 30 is fixed. And the second chute 32 so as to reciprocate along the second chute 32. By this reciprocation, the alternative chute between the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the part dropping block is provided. This is a workpiece alignment device in which selection is made.

  The invention described in claim 6 of the present application is that, in the invention of claim 1, the extrusion device 10 has two cutouts corresponding to the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the part dropping block 30. The parts dropping block 30 is fixed, and the two cutout plates 11 and 11 of the extrusion device and the first chute 31 of the parts dropping block and the This is a workpiece alignment device in which the alternative selection with the second chute 32 is made.

  When the workpiece w is, for example, a disc spring, the workpiece w includes a surface having an inclined surface (hereinafter referred to as “front surface”) and a surface having a flat surface (hereinafter referred to as “back surface”). And have different shapes on the front and back surfaces. The workpieces w having different shapes on the front and back surfaces are set by the workpiece posture control unit 2 of the transfer device 1 so that, for example, the workpiece surface is an upward surface, and are sequentially transferred to the transfer tip side by the parts feeder 3. The Since the extrusion device 10 is provided at the tip side of the parts feeder 3, the workpiece w that has been fed is pushed by the extrusion device 10 onto the parts dropping block 30 while maintaining the workpiece surface upward. Can be put out.

  The pushing of the workpiece w to the part dropping block 30 is selected as either the first chute 31 or the second chute 32, and the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 are: On the one hand, the work w moves to the work hole 20 while being rotated forward, and on the other hand, the work w is reversed and moved to the work hole 20. The

  As an alternative selection between the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 in the part dropping block 30, the part dropping block 30 is reciprocated by the drive device 30A as described in claim 2. , Made.

  As described in claim 3, the extrusion device 10 includes a cutout plate 11 that reciprocates in the direction of the part dropping block 30. The workpiece w is pushed and pushed to the part dropping block 30 by the leading end of the cutout plate 11.

  As described in claim 4, the part feeder 3 between the part dropping block 30 and the extrusion device 10 includes a shutter device S that stops or cancels the movement of the workpiece w that has been sent. Is provided. With the shutter device S, the movement of the workpiece w can be accurately controlled.

  Further, the part dropping block 30 does not reciprocate, but the part dropping block 30 is fixed and the push-out device 10 moves the first part of the part dropping block 30 as described in claim 5. It may be provided so as to reciprocate along the chute 31 and the second chute 32. In this case, the workpiece w is alternatively selected between the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the part dropping block 30 by the reciprocating motion of the extrusion device 10.

  Further, when the part dropping block 30 is fixed, as described in claim 6, in the extrusion device 10, two cutouts corresponding to the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the part dropping block 30 are provided. Plates 11 and 11 are provided, and by these two cutout plates 11 and 11, an alternative selection of the workpiece w between the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the part dropping block 30 is made. It can also be configured.

It is a top view which shows the workpiece | work alignment apparatus which concerns on one specific example of this invention. It is a partial longitudinal section front view showing a work alignment device concerning one example of the present invention. In relation to the work alignment apparatus of this example, (1) is a plan view at the tip of a parts feeder, and (2) is a partially longitudinal front view thereof. In relation to the work alignment apparatus of this example, (1) is a plan view at the tip of a parts feeder, and (2) is a partially longitudinal front view thereof. It is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional front view of the 1st chute | shoot part in the front-end | tip part of a parts feeder in connection with the workpiece alignment apparatus of this example. It is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional front view of the 2nd chute | shoot part in the front-end | tip part of a parts feeder in connection with the workpiece alignment apparatus of this example.

  1 and 2, a workpiece aligning apparatus according to the present invention is a transport device 1 that supplies a work w such as a disc spring having different front and back surfaces, and includes a work posture control unit 2 on a transport source side. The parts feeder 3 that is set to supply either the front surface or the back surface of the workpiece w that is conveyed to the conveyance leading end side, the work hole 20 that accumulates the supplied workpieces w, the parts feeder 3 and the A work aligning device including a part dropping block 30 provided between the work holes 20 is a basic configuration.

  The workpiece posture control unit 2 of the transfer device 1 uses a known posture control technique as appropriate, such as one that vibrates the workpiece w and controls the posture during transfer. Further, the conveyance unit of the parts feeder 3 uses a linear feeder 4, and the workpiece w is regulated and guided by the upper plate 5 on the linear feeder 4 and conveyed to the conveyance leading end side. Such posture control and transport mechanism may use other appropriate mechanisms according to the size of the apparatus.

  Further, an extruding device 10 for extruding the work w that has been sent to the part dropping block 30 is provided on the tip side of the parts feeder 3. The extrusion apparatus 10 includes a cutout plate 11 that reciprocates in the direction of the part dropping block 30. The cutting plate 11 is reciprocated by, for example, a driving device 10A driven by air.

  In addition, a shutter device S that stops or cancels the movement of the workpiece w that has been sent is provided between the part dropping block 30 and the extrusion device 10 at the tip of the parts feeder 3. The shutter device S is reciprocated by, for example, an air-driven drive device SA. When the shutter device S is provided, it is possible to avoid the inconvenience that the workpiece w located at the tip of the parts feeder 3 moves in the direction of the parts dropping block 30 due to vibration or the like.

  In the workpiece alignment apparatus of this example, the part dropping block 30 includes a first chute 31 having a normal fall groove and a second chute 32 having a reverse drop groove, and is driven along the parts feeder 3 by a drive device 30A. It is provided to reciprocate.

  The stroke of the reciprocating motion of the parts dropping block 30 corresponds to the interval between the first chute 31 and the second chute 32. That is, the part dropping block 30 is reciprocated by the driving device 30 </ b> A, and the first chute 31 faces (FIG. 3) the second chute 32 at the position of the shutter device S at the tip of the parts feeder 3. It is comprised so that it may confront (FIG. 4).

  The forward falling groove of the first chute 31 and the reverse falling groove of the second chute 32 are provided at positions where the lower ends of the first chute 31 and the stacking part 21 of the work hole 20 are desired.

  As described above, in the work aligning apparatus of this example, the part dropping block 30 reciprocates, and an alternative selection of normal rotation or reversal of the work w is made. That is, when the workpiece w supplied by the parts feeder 3 is pushed out to the parts dropping block 30 by the pushing device 10, the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the parts dropping block are alternatively selected. By selecting, the workpiece w is rotated forward or inverted by the part dropping block 30 and is accumulated in the accumulation portion 21 of the work hole 20.

  Next, an operation example of the workpiece w conveyance and alignment in the workpiece alignment apparatus of this example will be described. Hereinafter, the case where the workpiece w is a disc spring, for example, will be described as an example. In FIG. 1, a workpiece w has a front surface with an inclined surface and a rear surface with a flat surface, and is set so that the workpiece surface becomes an upward surface by the workpiece posture control unit 2 of the transport device 1. Then, it is sequentially conveyed by the parts feeder 3 to the conveyance front end side.

  As shown in FIG. 3 (1), the part dropping block 30 is positioned where the first chute 31 faces the cutout plate 11 of the extrusion device 10. It is located in the place opposite to. The rod upper end of the shutter device S is positioned on the side of the cutting edge of the cutting edge workpiece w, which prevents (closed) the movement of the workpiece w toward the cutting edge of the workpiece (FIG. 3 (2)). reference).

  The rod of the shutter device S is lowered by the operation signal from the control unit (not shown), and the pushing device 10 is operated to move the cutting plate 11 to the left in the figure. w is extruded to the first chute 31 (see FIG. 5 (1)). The workpiece w is extruded by the cutting plate 11 while maintaining the workpiece surface in an upward direction.

  The first chute 31 of the part dropping block 30 is provided with an inclined path that is inclined downward toward the traveling direction of the workpiece w, whereby the workpiece w falls along the inclined path (FIG. 5 (2 Then, the work w reaches the stacking portion 21 of the work hole 20 as it is, that is, in the normal rotation (see FIG. 5 (3)).

  In addition, after dredging, the extruding device 10 returns the cutting plate 11 to the original position, and the shutter device S prevents the movement of the workpiece w toward the anti-cutting plate side by returning the upper end of the rod to the original position. Closed state.

  In the set of a plurality of disc springs described above, the disc springs are combined such that the front surface and the front surface and the back surface and the back surface are in contact with each other. The workpiece w in the stacking unit 21 shown in FIG. 5 (3) has the workpiece surface facing upward, and therefore the workpiece w that is next to the workpiece w has the workpiece surface facing downward. That is, the next workpiece w is inverted and stored in the stacking unit 21 of the work hole 20.

  Therefore, the drive device 30A is actuated by the operation signal from the control unit (not shown) to move the part dropping block 30, and the second chute 32 faces the position of the shutter device S at the tip of the parts feeder 3. (See FIG. 4).

  Furthermore, the rod of the shutter device S is lowered by the operation signal from the control unit, and the push-out device 10 is operated to move the cutting plate 11 to the left in the drawing. Is extruded to the second chute 32 (see FIG. 6A). The workpiece w is extruded by the cutting plate 11 while maintaining the workpiece surface in an upward direction.

  The second chute 32 of the part dropping block 30 is provided with an inclined path that recedes in the counter-traveling direction of the workpiece w and is inclined downward. When the workpiece w enters the ramp, the workpiece w is inverted and dropped (see FIG. 6 (2)), and the workpiece w reaches the stacking portion 21 of the workpiece hole 20 as it is, ie, inverted (FIG. 6 (3)). reference).

  The upper workpiece w in the stacking unit 21 shown in FIG. 6 (3) has a workpiece surface facing downward, and thus the next workpiece w superimposed on the workpiece w has a workpiece surface facing upward. That is, the next work w is stored in the stacking portion 21 of the work hole 20 while being rotated forward.

  Therefore, the driving device 30A is actuated by the operation signal from the control unit, and the part dropping block 30 is moved, so that the first chute 31 faces the position of the shutter device S at the tip of the parts feeder 3. (See FIG. 3).

  In this way, when a desired set of a plurality of works w, w is stored in the stacking portion 21 of the work hole 20, as shown in FIG. It is conveyed to a predetermined part of the apparatus.

  In this example, the work hole 20 is provided so as to be movable to the side opposite to the parts feeder by a driving device 20A (see FIG. 1), and a set of a plurality of works w, w is stored in the stacking portion 21 of the work hole 20. Then, the driving device 20A is activated, the work hole 20 moves to the left in FIG. 2, and the stacking portion 21 located under the parts dropping block 30 moves and is exposed. Thereafter, the workpiece suction shaft 41 is lowered, and the workpiece suction shaft tip portion 42 sucks a set of a plurality of workpieces w and w and conveys them to a predetermined location of the hinge assembling apparatus. Reference numeral 43 denotes a suction device.

  In the above-described specific example, a set of a plurality of disc springs are combined so that the front and back surfaces of the disc springs and the back and back surfaces come into contact with each other. Since the front side and the front side are overlapped with each other, and the two are overlapped in the same direction to overlap the back side and the back side, the spring force can be increased, so an appropriate combination is used for the disc spring. It is something that can be done.

  In addition to the specific examples described above, the present invention can also be configured as follows.

  For example, the part dropping block 30 does not reciprocate, that is, the part dropping block 30 is fixed, and the pushing device 10 is attached to the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the part dropping block 30. You may provide so that it may reciprocate along. In this case, the workpiece w is alternatively selected between the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the part dropping block 30 by the reciprocating motion of the extrusion device 10.

  Further, when the part dropping block 30 is fixed, the extrusion apparatus 10 includes two cutout plates 11 and 11 corresponding to the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the part dropping block 30, and these two The two cutting plates 11 and 11 can be configured so that an alternative selection of the work w between the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the part dropping block 30 can be made.

  Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate.

  The workpiece aligning device of the present invention is not limited to the disc spring of the hinge device shown in the specific example, but also a small electronic component incorporated in an electronic device, and other devices that align the components so that their postures are aligned as necessary. It can be applied to what is requested.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Conveyance apparatus 2 Work posture control part 3 Parts feeder 4 Linear feeder 5 Upper board | plate material 10 Extrusion apparatus 10A Drive apparatus 11 Cutting plate 20 Work hole 20A Drive apparatus 21 Accumulation part 30 Block 30A for part drop Drive apparatus 31 1st chute 32 2nd Chute 40 Work suction device transport device 41 Work suction shaft 42 Work suction shaft tip 43 Suction device w Work S Shutter device SA Drive device

Claims (6)

A conveying device 1 for supplying a workpiece w such as a disc spring having a different front surface and rear surface, the workpiece posture control unit 2 being provided on the conveyance source side, and the upward surface of the workpiece w conveyed to the conveyance leading end side is the surface or A parts feeder 3 which is set and supplied to one of the back surfaces;
A work hole 20 for accumulating the supplied work w;
In a workpiece alignment apparatus comprising a parts dropping block 30 provided between the parts feeder 3 and the work hole 20,
At the front end side of the parts feeder 3 is provided with an extrusion device 10 for extruding the sent work w to the parts dropping block 30;
The part dropping block 30 includes a first chute 31 having a normal fall groove and a second chute 32 having a reverse fall groove,
When the workpiece w supplied by the parts feeder 3 is pushed out to the parts dropping block 30 by the pushing device 10, the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the parts dropping block are selected. The workpiece aligning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece w is accumulated in the workpiece hole 20 by being normally selected or reversed by the part dropping block 30 by selecting one. The part dropping block 30 is provided so as to reciprocate by a driving device 30A, and the reciprocation causes the selection between the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the part dropping block. 2. The workpiece alignment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a single selection is made. 2. The workpiece aligning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the extrusion apparatus includes a cutout plate that reciprocates in the direction of the part dropping block. The part feeder 3 between the part dropping block 30 and the extrusion device 10 is provided with a shutter device S that stops or cancels the movement of the workpiece w that has been sent. Item 2. The workpiece alignment apparatus according to Item 1. The part dropping block 30 is fixed, and the extrusion device 10 is provided to reciprocate along the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the part dropping block. The workpiece alignment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the alternative selection is performed between the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the part dropping block. The extrusion device 10 includes two cutout plates 11 and 11 corresponding to the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the part dropping block 30, and the part dropping block 30 is fixed. In addition, the alternative selection between the first chute 31 and the second chute 32 of the part dropping block is performed by the two cutout plates 11 and 11 of the extrusion device 10. The workpiece alignment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

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