JP2012091923A - Workpiece conveying method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a workpiece conveying method capable of holding a workpiece in a constantly adequate and sufficiently firm manner without using any posture straightening means, and conveying the workpiece in a constantly reliable manner to a predetermined work station in the desired posture.SOLUTION: The workpiece 2 includes a hollow or solid shaft part 3 and a flange part 4 provided in a middle section of the shaft part 3, and is loaded on a reference face 1. The flange part 4 of the workpiece 2 is pushed in the direction orthogonal to the reference face 1, a circumferential face of the flange part 4 is brought into line or surface contact with the reference face 1. The circumferential face of the flange part 4 of the workpiece 2 is held by a pair of fingers 12, 12 to be opened/closed, and the workpiece 2 is conveyed to a predetermined work station while the center axis of the shaft part 3 is parallel to the reference face 1.

Description

  The present invention includes a hollow or solid shaft portion and one or more flange portions provided at an intermediate portion or an end portion of the shaft portion, and can be used as, for example, a floor surface, a conveyor belt conveyance surface, or the like. A method of correcting the posture of a workpiece placed on the surface and often disturbing the posture due to its own weight, gripping the peripheral surface of the flange portion of the workpiece, and transporting the workpiece to a predetermined work station, and the method It is related with the apparatus used for implementation.

  For example, when a workpiece having a hollow or solid shaft portion and a flange portion provided at an intermediate portion of the shaft portion is placed on a reference surface such as a floor surface, the relationship with the weight balance of the workpiece is required. Below, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the workpiece often extends in a posture in which the shaft portion s is inclined at the reference plane B with one place of the flange portion f of the workpiece W as a fulcrum. 7, the hand H is moved downward with respect to the flange portion f of the workpiece W and the pair of fingers fi of the hand H are closed as illustrated in FIG. When the peripheral surface of the flange portion f is gripped, the workpiece W is gripped by the finger fi without correcting the inclination posture of the shaft portion s of the workpiece W with respect to the reference plane B. Based on the transfer operation of H, For example, when the shaft portion s of the workpiece W is inserted into the hollow portion of the tube or fitted into the hole portion, the required work is performed because of the inclined posture of the shaft portion s. There was a problem that could not be performed properly.

  In addition, since the flange portion f is inclined with respect to the finger fi due to the workpiece W being held in the inclined posture of the shaft portion s, the flange portion f is sufficiently strong with the finger fi. In some cases, the workpiece W cannot be gripped, and the workpiece W may fall during the transfer of the workpiece W by the hand H or during the work on the workpiece W.

  In order to prevent the occurrence of such a problem, as illustrated in FIG. 8, it has been proposed to use the correction means c so that the shaft portion s of the workpiece W is always in a horizontal posture. In order to arrange each individual workpiece W, a large number of work steps are required, and in order to arrange a large number of correction means c on the reference plane B, it is inevitable to secure a large occupied space. In addition, the correction means c itself has to increase the equipment cost, and further, since it is necessary to change the height of the jig supporting the shaft portion s, it is essential to prepare a large number of types of correction means c in advance. There was a problem of becoming.

  According to the present invention, the workpiece can always be properly and sufficiently firmly gripped without using the correcting means c, and the workpiece can always be reliably conveyed to a predetermined work station in the intended posture. It is in providing the workpiece conveyance method and the workpiece conveyance apparatus used therewith.

  The workpiece conveying method of the present invention includes a hollow or solid shaft portion and one or more flange portions provided at an intermediate portion or an end portion of the shaft portion, for example, having a uniform dimension over the entire thickness direction. The maximum flange portion of the workpiece placed on the reference surface is pressed with a component force or a resultant force in a direction perpendicular to the reference surface composed of, for example, a floor surface, a conveyor belt conveyance surface, etc. The central surface of the shaft portion that is allowed to be arranged eccentrically as well as concentric with the flange portion, for example, in parallel with the reference surface. In this state, the peripheral surface of one of the flange portions of the workpiece is held by a pair of fingers that are driven to open and close, and the workpiece is conveyed to a predetermined work station.

  In this case, the maximum flange portion of the work can be pressed firmly against the reference surface in relation to the physical properties of the reference surface, but preferably elastically pressed against the reference surface. .

  Further, here, the reference surface can be a floor surface including a desk top surface, a work table surface or the like, or a work transport surface of a transport conveyor such as a slat conveyor or a belt conveyor. The workpiece can be gripped by being opened and closed by being displaced in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane or in a direction parallel to the reference plane.

  By the way, in a pair of fingers, it is preferable to grip the peripheral surface of one of the flange portions in order to facilitate and smooth subsequent processing or processing on the shaft portion. In order to improve the property, it is preferable to grip the peripheral surface of the maximum flange portion of the workpiece with a pair of fingers.

  In addition, a workpiece transfer device according to the present invention includes a hollow or solid shaft portion and one or more flange portions disposed at an intermediate portion or an end portion of the shaft portion, and is placed on a reference surface. A pair of fingers that are driven to open and close and grip the peripheral surface of any flange part of the workpiece, and the maximum flange part of the work is orthogonal to the reference plane A pressing member that presses in a direction to move, a finger moving unit that moves a pair of fingers close to the workpiece in their open posture, and a conveying unit that conveys the finger pair holding the workpiece to a predetermined work station together with the workpiece. It is made up of.

  Preferably, the pressing member is configured to elastically press the maximum flange portion of the workpiece against the reference surface, for example, a pressing means made of a spring material, and a peripheral surface of the maximum flange portion attached to the pressing means. And a rigid plate such as a metal plate or a plastic plate, or a low friction plate.

  Further, the pressing member can cause the pressing force in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane to act on the maximum flange portion as a resultant force or as a component force, and such a pressing member has a pair of fingers. Can be disposed on a center line extending between the fingers through a center portion of a pair of fingers in a gripping posture.

The finger moving means may be a cylinder, a gear drive mechanism, or the like that translates a pair of fingers in a direction orthogonal to the reference plane or in a direction parallel to the reference plane.
Also, here, the pressing member is disposed between the pair of fingers, and the finger moving means is a lifting drive means for moving the pressing member together with the pair of fingers to simplify the device structure, And it is preferable when aiming at size reduction of an apparatus.

  In the workpiece conveying method of the present invention, a workpiece including a shaft portion and one or more flange portions provided at an intermediate portion or an end portion of the shaft portion is formed on a reference plane in relation to a weight balance or the like. Even if the posture may be disturbed, the maximum flange portion is pressed in a direction orthogonal to the reference plane with the pressing member, and the peripheral surface of the maximum flange portion is brought into line or surface contact with the reference plane, Without gripping the peripheral surface of any flange part of the workpiece with a pair of fingers that are opened and closed with the central axis parallel to the reference plane, without using special workpiece posture correction means, With a pair of fingers, the workpiece can always be securely held in the intended posture, so that the workpiece can be gripped by the fingers and conveyed to a predetermined work station. Cornerstone of the work easily and it is possible to properly perform, during the work on the workpiece, in the transport-secondary work, can be removed the risk of unintentional dropping of the work sufficiently.

Here, the reason why the maximum flange portion is pressed with the pressing member is that the pressing member cannot press only the flange portion having a size smaller than the maximum flange portion in relation to the flange contact area of the pressing member. In many cases, the maximum flange portion is a fulcrum with respect to the reference surface of the workpiece.
By the way, when the maximum flange portion is pressed by the pressing member in a direction orthogonal to the reference plane, the pressing member directly presses the maximum flange portion in the direction orthogonal to the reference plane with the resultant force of the pressing force. Not only in the case of pressing in a direction perpendicular to the reference surface with a component force of the pressing force, that is, the contact surface of the pressing member with the largest flange portion is slightly inclined without being parallel to the reference surface. The case where it becomes is also included.

  Further, the planar contour shape of one or more flange portions may be a circle or other closed curve shape, a polygonal shape, etc., and for example, the dimension in the thickness direction of the maximum flange portion shall be uniform throughout. In addition, as long as it has a region where the central axis of the shaft portion can be parallel to the reference surface by contacting the reference surface with a line or a surface, the form of the portion outside the region is appropriate as required. can do.

In such a workpiece transfer method, when the maximum flange portion is elastically pressed against the reference surface with the pressing member, the workpiece is pressed by pressing the maximum flange portion with the pressing member regardless of the physical properties of the reference surface. It is possible to effectively remove the impact and the like in the case of the proper posture, and to effectively prevent the work and the work transfer device from being damaged.
Here, the elastic force can be generated by a known elastic material such as a spring or rubber. In this case, the elastic material exerts a required pressing force on the large-sized flange portion and still leaves a contraction allowance. It is preferable to have such dimensions in order to prevent the pressing member from generating a push-up impact or the like on the apparatus.

  By the way, the reference plane can be a general floor surface that is a horizontal plane, and can also be a work conveyance plane of a conveyance conveyor that is arranged to be inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. For example, the workpiece on the inclined conveyance surface can be properly gripped and accurately conveyed to a predetermined work station.

  Appropriate gripping of the workpiece on the reference surface, particularly the flange portion thereof, by the pair of fingers that are opened and closed is performed by moving the pair of fingers downward, for example, in a direction perpendicular to the reference surface. In addition to this, it can also be performed by, for example, horizontal displacement in a direction parallel to the reference plane. In any of these cases, the workpiece, and hence the target flange portion, is based on the finger closing drive. Can be properly gripped as expected.

  Here, when the peripheral surface of the maximum flange portion of the workpiece is gripped by a pair of fingers, proper gripping of the flange portion is more easily and reliably performed regardless of the manner of arrangement of the other flange portions. be able to.

  In addition, the workpiece transfer device according to the present invention includes a pair of fingers that are driven to open and close to grip the peripheral surface of one of the flange portions, and a pressing member that presses the maximum flange portion in a direction perpendicular to the reference surface. And a finger moving means for moving the pair of fingers in the open posture close to the work, and a conveying means for carrying the finger pair gripping the work by the closing operation to a predetermined work station together with the work. Thus, the above-described workpiece transfer method can be realized as expected.

In such a workpiece transfer device, the pressing member is pressed against the reference surface to elastically press the maximum flange portion of the workpiece, and is attached to the pressing device and comes into contact with the peripheral surface of the maximum flange portion. When a rigid plate or a low friction plate is provided, the action of the pressing means effectively prevents the occurrence of an impact when correcting the posture of the workpiece's maximum flange, and hence the workpiece's posture. In addition, due to the action of a rigid plate or a low friction plate that comes into contact with the peripheral surface of the maximum flange portion, the maximum flange portion can be rotated around the fulcrum, in other words, with the pressing displacement of the pressing member. It is possible to facilitate the rubbing displacement of the maximum flange portion with respect to the rigid plate or the low friction plate, and to smoothly correct the posture of the maximum flange portion.
In other words, when the contact part of the workpiece to the maximum flange part is made of a soft plate, the maximum flange part is buried in the contact part under the action of the pressing force, and the corresponding contact part is When configured with a high friction plate, the rotational displacement of the maximum flange portion to the appropriate posture under the action of the pressing force is constrained by the high friction plate. It becomes difficult to correct the posture of the maximum flange.

  In this apparatus, the pressing force that acts on the maximum flange portion in the direction orthogonal to the reference surface acts on the pressing member as long as the disordered posture of the maximum flange portion is corrected and the workpiece can be brought into a predetermined posture. In addition to the resultant force of the pressing force, it can also be a component force of the acting pressing force.

  In addition, when the pressing member of the device is disposed on the grip center line of the pair of fingers, with one pressing member, with the pair of fingers in a state where the maximum flange portion is pressed in the direction facing the reference plane, The peripheral surface of the maximum flange portion can be gripped from a required direction.

By the way, when the finger moving means is a means that translates a pair of fingers in a direction orthogonal to the reference plane, the structure of the apparatus can be simplified by bringing the pressing displacement of the pressing member with the finger moving means. Can be.
On the other hand, when the finger moving means is a means for translating the pair of fingers in a direction parallel to the reference plane, the pair of fingers are brought close to the maximum flange portion pressed by the pressing member from any direction. Since the peripheral surface of the maximum flange portion can be gripped by displacement, the possibility of interference with other installed objects can be sufficiently removed.

  In addition, when the pressing member is disposed between the pair of fingers and the finger moving means is a lifting drive means for moving the pressing member up and down together with the pair of fingers, the structure of the device is further simplified. In addition, downsizing of the entire apparatus can be easily realized.

It is a side view which illustrates the object work of this invention in the state where the posture was disturbed on the reference plane. It is a front view which illustrates a contact attitude | position to the reference plane of the largest flange part. It is the front view and side view which illustrate the process of the work conveyance method, and the effect | action of a workpiece conveyance apparatus. It is the front view and side view which illustrate the process of the work conveyance method, and the effect | action of a workpiece conveyance apparatus. It is the front view and side view which illustrate the conveyance process of the workpiece | work hold | gripped appropriately. It is the front view and side view which illustrate the conventional workpiece conveyance process. It is the front view and side view which illustrate the conventional workpiece conveyance process. It is a side view which illustrates a posture correction means.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a workpiece that is an object of the present invention is a material whose balance is disturbed by breaking the weight balance on a reference surface 1 that can be a floor surface, a workpiece conveying surface of a conveyor, and the like. 1 (a) includes a hollow or solid shaft portion 3 and a flange portion 4 provided at one end of the shaft portion 3 and indicated by a solid line in the drawing. The workpiece 2 shown in FIG. 1B is provided at the same shaft portion 3 and an intermediate portion in the extending direction of the shaft portion 3. And a flange portion 4 indicated by a solid line in the figure, wherein the protruding end portion from the flange portion 4 on the side remote from the reference surface 1 of the shaft portion 3 is a portion on the reference surface 1 side. The larger dimension, for example, the large diameter portion 3a.
In addition, in the place shown to Fig.1 (a), (b), it is also possible to provide the flange part 5 with a dimension smaller than the flange part 4 in the axial part 3 as shown by the virtual line in a figure.

Further, the workpiece 2 shown in FIG. 1 (c) is provided with a shaft portion 3 having a uniform dimension over the entire length and a flange portion 4 provided at an intermediate portion in the extending direction of the shaft portion 3 being eccentric to each other. It is.
In this figure, the eccentric direction of the shaft portion 3 with respect to the flange portion 4 can be appropriately selected as necessary around the central axis CL of the flange portion 4, for example, in the figure by a virtual line As shown, the shaft 3 shown in the figure can be eccentric to the opposite side of the center axis CL.

  The workpiece 2 shown in FIG. 1 (d) is provided with flange portions 4 and 6 of various sizes, both in contact with the reference surface 1, at intermediate portions in the extending direction of the shaft portion 3 of uniform dimensions. It is.

By the way, each of the flange portions 4, 5, 6 described above has a uniform dimension in the entire thickness direction in the illustrated side view, but the flange portion has a predetermined contact area with respect to the reference surface 1. And as long as it has the predetermined peripheral surface holding | grip area by a pair of finger mentioned later, a side surface form can be changed suitably.
FIG. 1 (e) shows an example of this, in which two flange portions 7, 7 having the same side surface form are opposed to each other in the intermediate portion in the extending direction of the shaft portion 3 of uniform dimensions. It is provided in a posture.
Each of the flange portions 7 here has a predetermined contact area to the reference surface 1 and a uniform dimension area 7a serving as a grip allowance by fingers as viewed in the central axis direction as a thickness direction thereof, and the uniform dimension area. From 7a, it has the dimension change area 7b from which a dimension becomes small gradually toward each end of the axial part 3. As shown in FIG.

  In the figure, the dimensional change area 7b is provided only on one side of the uniform dimension area 7a, or can be provided on both sides of the uniform dimension area 7a. Further, as shown in the figure, the two flange portions 7 are provided in an attitude adjacent to the uniform dimension area 7a. However, any one of the flange portions 7 can be omitted from the illustration.

Here, the planar contour shape of the flange portion may be a circle, an ellipse, or an oval as illustrated in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, respectively. A polygonal contour shape as shown in d) and (e) can also be used.
And in these cases, if each flange part has a fixed dimension over the whole thickness direction, for example, the flange part which has a circular and elliptical plane outline shape will carry out the posture correction mentioned later. As shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b), the flange portion having an oval and polygonal plane contour shape is in line with the reference plane 1, and is in a posture correction state, as shown in FIG. As shown in c) to (e), surface contact is made with the reference surface 1.

  An application example of the method and apparatus of the present invention to a workpiece 2 whose posture is disturbed as shown in FIG. 1 will be described below by taking the workpiece 2 shown in FIG. 1B as an example.

  Here, as shown in front and side views in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), the hand 11 is provided with a pair of fingers 12 and 12 that are driven to open and close with translational motion, and these fingers 12 and 12 are also provided. A pressing member 13 is provided at the center of the. In the apparatus according to the present invention, as an example of finger moving means for moving the hand 11 up and down with respect to the reference plane 1, the lifting drive means (not shown) and the hand 11, and thus the finger pair, are invented. Each of the conveying means (not shown) that moves between a position corresponding to the workpiece 2 whose posture is disturbed and a predetermined operation station is also provided.

Here, the opening and closing drive of the pair of fingers 12 and 12 can be performed by a rotational movement using a link mechanism or the like, and the pressing member 13 is on the grip center line of the pair of fingers 12 and 12. In the side view shown in FIG. 3 (b), the fingers 12, 12 can be arranged on the left side or the right side.
Preferably, the pressing member 13 is elastically pressed against the reference surface 1 against the workpiece 2, particularly the maximum flange portions 4 and 7, which are flange portions having the maximum dimensions. To do.
For this elastic pressing here, the pressing member 13 is attached to a pressing means (not shown) made of, for example, a spring material and the pressing means via a plunger or the like. In addition, for example, a contact plate 14 made of a rigid plate or a low friction plate, which comes in contact from directly above, may be provided.
Here, the pressing force of the contact plate 14 against the maximum flange portion 4 may be such that the pressing force in the direction perpendicular to the reference surface 1 acts on the maximum flange portion 4 as a component force.

In carrying out the method of the present invention, the hand 11 is moved from the end position of the previous work to a position corresponding to the work 2 on the reference surface 1 under the action of a conveying means (not shown). Moreover, it is displaced downward with respect to the workpiece | work 2 by the raising / lowering means which is not shown in figure, and the opening / closing attitude | position of the fingers 12 and 12 which make a pair.
The opening and closing drive of the paired fingers 12 and 12 can be performed by the operation of a cylinder (not shown) or the like housed in the hand 11.

  Due to such a downward displacement of the hand 11, the contact plate 14 of the pressing member 13 disposed between the paired fingers 12, 12 is preferably elastically vertically above the maximum flange portion 4 of the work 2. When abutting, the maximum flange portion 4 receives a pressing force in a direction orthogonal to the reference surface 1 and is located at the right end of the maximum flange portion 4 in the side view shown in FIG. The maximum flange portion 4 is finally brought into line contact or surface contact with the reference surface 1 on the peripheral surface, and the shaft portion 3 regardless of whether or not it is eccentrically arranged. A corrective posture of the workpiece 2 as shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D is brought about in which the central axis is parallel to the reference plane 1.

Here, when the contact plate 14 of the pressing member 13 is elastically contacted with the maximum flange portion 4, the maximum flange of the contact plate 14 regardless of the physical properties of the reference surface 1 or the reference surface material. The contact impact on the portion 4 can be sufficiently absorbed or suppressed.
And in order to exhibit this buffer function etc. more effectively, even when the contact plate 14 is brought into contact with the largest flange portion having a particularly large size and the posture of the workpiece 2 is corrected, the elastic remaining force Is preferably left.

Thereafter, as shown in front and side views in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the pair of fingers 12, 12 are closed under the action of a cylinder or the like provided on the hand 11 to change the posture. The peripheral surface of the maximum flange portion of the straightened workpiece 2 is sufficiently firmly and properly gripped by the finger pairs 12 and 12.
When the workpiece 2 is properly gripped in this way, unintentional changes in the posture of the workpiece 2 during the gripping can be sufficiently prevented as well as the workpiece 2 being unexpectedly dropped.

  Thereafter, as shown in front and side views in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b), the hand 11 and eventually the pair of fingers 12, 12 are moved to a required height together with the work 2 by a lifting drive means (not shown). Then, under the action of a conveying means (not shown), the hand 11, the finger pairs 12, 12 and the workpiece 2 are conveyed from the reference surface 1 to a predetermined work station. Wait for the start etc.

  As described above, the method of the present invention has been described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. The gripping of the flange portion of the workpiece 2 whose posture is corrected by the pair of fingers 12 and 12 is shown in FIG. , (B), (d) can also be performed on the peripheral surfaces of the flange portions 5 and 6 having small dimensions.

  Further, as shown in the figure, the pair of fingers 12 and 12 are moved up and down in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane 1, but the pair of fingers 12 and 12 are displaced in a direction parallel to the reference plane 1. Any of the flange portions of the workpiece 2 whose posture has been corrected can be gripped by the fingers 12, 12.

  Further, in the drawing, the contact plate 14 is displaced vertically downward from above, and the maximum flange portion 4 is directly pressed in a direction orthogonal to the reference plane 1. Can be displaced obliquely downward as indicated by phantom lines in FIG. 1 (b). According to this, the maximum flange portion of the fulcrum F can be moved with a component force in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane 1. It can be swung around.

1 Reference surface 2 Work piece 3 Shaft part 3a Large diameter part 4, 7 Flange part (maximum flange part)
5, 6 Flange 11 Hand 12 Finger 13 Pressing member 14 Contact plate F Support point

Claims (12)

  It has a hollow or solid shaft part and one or more flange parts provided at the middle part or end part of the shaft part, and the maximum flange part of the workpiece placed on the reference surface is orthogonal to the reference surface With a pair of fingers that are driven to open and close in a state where the circumferential surface of the largest flange portion is lined or surface-contacted on the reference surface and the central axis of the shaft portion is parallel to the reference surface by pressing in the direction, A workpiece transfer method for holding a peripheral surface of any flange portion of a workpiece and transferring the workpiece to a predetermined work station.   The work conveying method according to claim 1, wherein the maximum flange portion is elastically pressed against the reference surface.   The work conveyance method according to claim 1, wherein the reference surface is a floor surface or a work conveyance surface of a conveyance conveyor.   The workpiece conveyance method according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece is gripped by displacing the pair of fingers in a direction orthogonal to the reference surface or in a direction parallel to the reference surface.   The work conveyance method according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral surface of the maximum flange portion of the work is gripped by a pair of fingers. A workpiece having a hollow or solid shaft portion and one or more flange portions provided at an intermediate portion or an end portion of the shaft portion, and gripping and transporting a workpiece placed on a reference surface in a predetermined posture A conveying device,
A pair of fingers that are driven to open and close to grip the peripheral surface of one of the flange portions of the workpiece, a pressing member that presses the maximum flange portion of the workpiece in a direction perpendicular to the reference surface, and a pair of fingers are opened. A workpiece transfer apparatus comprising: finger moving means that displaces a workpiece close to the workpiece in a posture; and a transfer means that transfers a finger pair that holds the workpiece to a predetermined work station together with the workpiece.   The pressing member includes a pressing means that elastically presses the maximum flange portion of the workpiece with respect to a reference surface, and a rigid plate that is attached to the pressing means and contacts the peripheral surface of the maximum flange portion. The workpiece transfer apparatus according to claim 6.   A pressing means that elastically presses the maximum flange portion of the workpiece with respect to a reference surface, and a plate with a small surface friction coefficient that is attached to the pressing means and contacts the peripheral surface of the maximum flange portion. The workpiece transfer apparatus according to claim 6, comprising:   The workpiece conveying apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the pressing member is made to act on the maximum flange portion as a resultant force or a pressing force in a direction perpendicular to the reference surface.   The work conveying apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pressing member is disposed on a grip center line of the pair of fingers.   The workpiece transfer device according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the pair of fingers are translated in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane or parallel to the reference plane.   The workpiece conveyance according to any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein the pressing member is disposed between the pair of fingers, and the finger moving unit is used as an elevating driving unit that moves the pressing member up and down together with the pair of fingers. apparatus.

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