JP2014158370A - Work-piece conveyance facility - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a work-piece conveyance facility in which a brush, a brush rotation motor and accessory parts for these can be added without increasing the load to a trolley vehicle.SOLUTION: A work-piece conveyance facility 10 is constituted by a self-propelled trolley vehicle 12 and a towed vehicle 20 which is towed by the trolley vehicle 12. The towed vehicle 20 is arranged separately from the trolley vehicle 12 and a brush, a brush rotation motor and accessory parts for these are loaded on the towed vehicle 20.

Description

  The present invention relates to a workpiece transfer facility suitable for transferring a vehicle body.

  In a vehicle assembly factory, a workpiece such as a car body is often transported by a transport facility called an overhead conveyor. The overhead conveyor is a conveyor in which a trolley car is placed along a rail attached overhead and an L-shaped hanger frame is suspended from the trolley car, and a work is placed on the hanger frame.

  A trolley car may be pulled by a conveyor tune or may be driven by itself. In the case of self-propelling, the rail is provided with a power supply line, the trolley vehicle is provided with a self-propelled motor and a current collector, and power is supplied by sliding the current collector on the power supply line. Due to this sliding contact, the feeder line may become fluffy and hang down in the form of burrs. Since an electrical short circuit occurs when burrs grow, countermeasures are necessary, and various countermeasures have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1 (FIG. 12)).

  In FIG. 12 of Patent Document 1, a power supply rail body (67) corresponding to a power supply line is shown in a guide rail (61) corresponding to a rail (the number in parentheses indicates a code described in Patent Document 1. The same applies hereinafter). Is provided. Moreover, the brush body (93) is provided in the trolley main part (71), and the electric power feeding rail body (67) can be cleaned with this brush body (93). Although not shown in FIG. 12, the brush body (93) is rotated by a brush rotation motor.

Such a technique disclosed in FIG. 12 of Patent Document 1 has the following problems and needs to be improved.
If a brush body (93), a brush rotation motor and accessories for these are added to an ordinary trolley car that is not equipped with a brush, the load on the trolley car will increase, and the trolley car will not have enough room for strength. In case you need to replace the trolley car.

  While the increase in equipment cost is suppressed, there is a need for a work transfer equipment that can add a brush, a brush rotation motor, and accessories for these without increasing the load on the trolley vehicle.

Moreover, since the brush body (93) is continuously rotated, power consumption for the brush rotation motor increases. In addition, copper is used for the power supply line, but wear is significant because copper is soft.
There is a need to save on electricity bills and to take measures against wear on the feeder.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-1890

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a work transfer facility that can add a brush, a brush rotation motor, and accessory parts for these without increasing the weight burden on the trolley wheel.

The invention according to claim 1 is a trolley vehicle that includes a rail provided with a power supply line, and a current collector that is in sliding contact with the power supply line, receives power for self-propelled from the power supply line, and conveys a work while moving along the rail. And a work transfer facility comprising a towed vehicle that moves along the rail while being pulled by the trolley vehicle,
The towed vehicle includes a towed vehicle that travels along the rail, a gas ejection mechanism that is provided on the towed vehicle and that ejects gas for removing burrs to the power supply line, and is provided on the towed vehicle. A rotating brush mechanism that removes burrs generated on the power supply line, and a suction mechanism that sucks burrs and dust removed from the towed vehicle body,
The workpiece transfer facility includes a control unit that controls the gas ejection mechanism, the rotating brush mechanism, and the suction mechanism.

  In the invention according to claim 2, the work transfer equipment includes a burr detection mechanism that detects burr, and the control unit stores a burr detection position based on a burr detection signal when the burr detection mechanism detects the burr. At the same time, when the towed vehicle reaches this storage position, at least one of a gas ejection mechanism, a rotating brush mechanism, and a suction mechanism is operated.

  The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the burr detection mechanism is provided in the trolley wheel.

In the invention which concerns on Claim 1, a rotating brush mechanism etc. are not mounted in the trolley wheel | wheel equivalent to the hanger of a prior art. The rotating brush mechanism is installed in the towed vehicle that is arranged separately from the trolley vehicle.
Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a work transfer facility in which a rotating brush mechanism can be added without increasing the load on the trolley vehicle.

In the invention according to claim 2, the rotating brush mechanism or the like is operated only when the burr is detected. Other than that, the rotating brush mechanism and the like are in an inoperative state. In the non-operating state, the degree of wear of the power supply line by the brush is greatly reduced.
For most of the time, the rotating brush mechanism and the like are at rest and do not consume electrical energy.
Therefore, according to claim 2, it is possible to save electricity costs and to take measures against wear of the feeder.

In the invention according to claim 3, the burr detection mechanism is provided in the trolley wheel.
The burr detection mechanism can be filled with a small and light photoelectric sensor, and the load on the trolley car hardly increases.
Further, since the burr detection mechanism is provided in the trolley wheel preceding the rotary brush mechanism or the like, there is a distance and time margin from the burr detection to the rotation brush mechanism operation. Therefore, even if the traveling speeds of the trolley vehicle and the towed vehicle are high, the burrs can be removed with a margin.

It is a side view of the workpiece conveyance equipment which concerns on this invention. It is a side view of the towed vehicle in a state where the rotating brush mechanism is removed. It is a side view of a towed vehicle. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. It is a single item drawing of a brush. FIG. 8 is a view taken in the direction of arrow 8 in FIG. 1. It is a control flowchart. It is an effect | action figure of a rotating brush mechanism.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are viewed in the direction of the reference numerals.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the workpiece transfer equipment 10 includes a rail 11, a trolley vehicle 12 that travels along the rail 11, and a towed vehicle 20 that travels along the rail 11 while being pulled by the trolley vehicle 12. Consists of.

  The trolley vehicle 12 supports a trolley vehicle body 16 having a drive wheel 14 driven by a traveling motor 13 and a driven wheel 15 driven by the drive wheel 14 and a vehicle body 17 suspended from the trolley vehicle body 16 as a workpiece. It consists of a hanger frame 18.

The towed vehicle 20 is pulled by the trolley wheel 12 through the tie rod 21. The configuration of the towed vehicle 20 will be described in detail based on the drawings.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the towed vehicle 20 with the rotating brush mechanism 60 removed to facilitate understanding.

  The towed vehicle 20 includes a towed vehicle body 22 that travels along the rail 11, a high-pressure gas generating unit 51 and a vacuum unit 57 that are mounted on the towed vehicle body 22, and a hinge pin 23 provided on the towed vehicle body 22. Furthermore, the towed vehicle body 22 includes a swing cylinder 25 that swings the brush support plate 24.

The brush support plate 24 shown separately from the towed vehicle body 22 includes a hinge block 26 and an eye plate (perforated plate) 27, and the hinge block 26 is fitted to the hinge pin 23 to support the brushed vehicle body 22 with the brush. The plate 24 is swingably supported.
The eye plate 27 is connected to the piston rod 28 of the swing cylinder 25. The brush support plate 24 is rocked by the rocking cylinder 25.

As a result, the towed vehicle 20 is completed as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, which is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2, the rail 11 is an H-shaped rail including an upper flange 31, a lower flange 32, and a web 33 that connects the upper and lower flanges 31 and 32.

  An upper roller 34, left and right guide rollers 35 and 35, and lower guide rollers 36 and 36 are rotatably provided on the to-be-towed vehicle body 22. The upper roller 34 runs on the upper surface of the upper flange 31, and the left and right guide rollers 35. , 35 rotate along the left and right side surfaces of the upper flange 31, and the lower guide roller 36 is a grooved roller with a V-groove 37 and rotates along the lower left and right corners of the lower flange 32. Therefore, the towed vehicle body 22 travels in the front and back direction in FIG. 4 without swinging up, down, left and right.

In addition, six feed lines 40 are attached to the web 33 via support blocks 39. For convenience of explanation, the power supply line 40 is referred to as first to sixth power supply lines 41 to 46 from top to bottom.
A signal line K is connected to the first power supply line 41, and a signal line J is connected to the second power supply line 42. A current collector 47 indicated by an imaginary line extends from the trolley vehicle body 16 shown in FIG. 1 and exchanges signals with the control unit 75.
The third feeder 43 is connected to the ground E. The fourth feed line 44 is connected to the R pole line, the fifth feed line 45 is connected to the S pole line, and the sixth feed line 46 is connected to the T pole line, and power is supplied from the external power source to the traveling motor 13 of FIG.

  When a burr is generated in the first and second power supply lines 41 and 42 and the burr grows and contacts any one of the fourth to sixth power supply lines 44 to 46, a so-called short circuit occurs, and the first and second power supply lines are generated. A power current that is much higher than the signal current flows through the electric wires 41 and 42, and the control circuit is damaged. Therefore, it is necessary to clean the 1st-6th electric power feeding lines 41-46 suitably.

Next, an example of the configuration of the gas ejection mechanism 50 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 5, which is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2, the gas ejection mechanism 50 includes a high-pressure gas generation means 51 typified by a compressor, a gas hose 52 that guides the generated gas, and a towed vehicle body. 22 is provided with a header 53 to which gas is supplied by a gas hose 52, and an injection pipe 54 that branches from the header 53 and injects gas to each of the power supply lines 40.

Next, configuration examples of the suction mechanism 55 and the rotating brush mechanism 60 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 6 which is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. The vacuum means 57 includes a generating mechanism, and the vacuum hose 58 extends from the vacuum means 57 and is connected to the suction hole 56.
The suction mechanism 55 sucks burrs and dust removed from the power supply line.
Examples of the dust sucked by the suction mechanism 55 include abrasion powder, dust, and dust on the power supply line.

  The rotary brush mechanism 60 includes a brush rotation motor 61 provided on the brush support plate 24 and a support shaft that is connected to the motor shaft 62 of the brush rotation motor 61 and extends vertically, and is rotatably supported by the brush support plate 24. 63 and a brush 64 attached to the support shaft 63 at a position corresponding to the power supply line 40.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the brush 64 includes a disk 65 and a thin wire material 66 planted on the outer peripheral surface of the disk 65. The fine wire 66 is preferably a resin wire rather than a metal wire. This is because wear of the power supply line 40 becomes remarkable when the metal wire is used.

Next, a configuration example of the burr detection mechanism 70 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 8, which is a view taken in the direction of arrow 8 in FIG. 1, the burr detection mechanism 70 is preferably a reflective photoelectric switch attached to a trolley vehicle body (FIG. 1, reference numeral 16) via a bracket 71 or the like.
That is, the burr detection mechanism 70 includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, and emits a light beam 72 composed of infrared rays or laser light vertically downward from the light emitting unit.

When the feed line 40 is healthy, the light beam 72 passes only through the side of the feed line 40 and does not return. Since the reflected light does not reach the light receiving portion, the burr detection mechanism 70 does not emit a burr signal.
When a burr 74 as shown by an imaginary line is generated in the power supply line 40, the light beam 72 is reflected by the burr and the reflected light reaches the light receiving unit. As a result, the burr detection mechanism 70 generates a burr presence signal.

The burr detection mechanism 70 is also preferably a transmissive photoelectric switch or an image sensor for detecting a burr.
In the case of a transmissive photoelectric switch, the burr detection mechanism 70 includes a light emitting unit that emits a light beam 72 made of infrared rays or laser light vertically downward, and receives the light beam 72 emitted by this light emitting unit, not shown. A light receiving unit is further provided.

When the feeder line 40 is healthy, the light beam 72 passes through the side of the feeder line 40 and the transmitted light reaches the light receiving unit. As a result, the burr detection mechanism does not emit a burr presence signal.
When a burr 74 as shown by an imaginary line is generated in the power supply line 40, the light beam 72 is blocked by the burr and the transmitted light does not reach the light receiving unit. As a result, the burr detection mechanism emits a burr presence signal.

  In the case of an image sensor, that is, the burr detection mechanism includes an image sensor (not shown) oriented vertically downward, and is arranged so as to face the image sensor across the side of the power supply line 40 and is flush with the image sensor. A plate-like backlight plate (not shown) is further provided.

  When the power supply line 40 is healthy, the image sensor captures, as an image, a scene where the illumination unit of the backlight plate shines uniformly. Since the burr detection mechanism 70 is stored in advance as an image when the power supply line 40 is healthy, it is determined that the burr detection mechanism 70 compares the currently picked-up image with the burr detection mechanism 70. Does not fire.

  When a burr 74 as shown by an imaginary line is generated on the power supply line 40, the illumination light of the backlight plate is blocked by the burr, and the shadow of the burr is captured by the image sensor in the image of the illumination part of the backlight plate. The If the image when the power supply line 40 is healthy is compared with the currently captured image and determined to be harmful due to the size of the shadow, as a result, the burr detection mechanism generates a burr signal.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a burr absence signal or a burr presence signal is input from the burr detection mechanism 70 to the control unit 75 provided in the workpiece transfer equipment 10. The control unit 75 determines that there is no burr when a burr-free signal is input. Further, the control unit 75 determines that there is a burr when a burr signal is input.

When neither a burr signal nor a burr signal is input, a failure of the photoelectric switch or the like, or disconnection of a signal line or the like from the photoelectric switch or the like is considered.
If no burr signal is input, it can be determined that there is no burr.

A rotary encoder 76 is attached to the axle of the drive wheel 14. The rotary encoder 76 detects the rotational speed of the drive wheel 14. Therefore, since the distance from a certain position can be integrated, the traveling position of the drive wheel 14 can be specified. Since the distance from the driving wheel 14 to the rear towed vehicle 20 is constant, when the position of the driving wheel 14 is determined, the traveling position of the towed vehicle 20 is determined. The distance information for that purpose is also given to the control unit 75.
The control unit 75 controls the oscillating cylinder 25, the high-pressure gas generating unit 51, the vacuum unit 57, and the brush rotation motor 61.

The main part of the control performed by the control unit 75 will be described next.
As shown in FIG. 9, the trolley car starts to turn (ST01).
In ST02, the presence or absence of burrs is examined. If no burr is detected, the vehicle returns to ST02 and keeps the trolley wheel.

When a burr is detected in ST02, “0” is set in the flag F (ST03). And a control part memorizes position P on a rail where a burr was detected (ST04).
As the circulation proceeds, the injection pipe (FIG. 5, reference numeral 54) approaches the burr. When the distance to the burr becomes “A”, that is, the blow (gas injection) is started from the time when the position becomes (PA) (ST05). The distance A is recommended to be 300 to 500 mm.

Since the brush is behind the injection pipe, it approaches the burr with a delay. From the time when the brush position becomes (PA), vacuuming is started and brush rotation is started (ST06).
In addition, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the swing cylinder 25 is extended to move the brush 64 from the standby position to the cleaning position. This starts cleaning.

After the circulation has progressed and the injection pipe has passed the burr, blowing is continued for a distance “B” to compensate for the position error. That is, the blow is finished when the position of the injection pipe reaches (P + B) (ST07). The distance B is recommended to be 200 to 400 mm.
Similarly, when the position of the brush reaches (P + B), the vacuum is stopped, and the brush is returned to the standby position as shown in FIG. 10 (b) → FIG. 10 (a), and the rotation is stopped (ST08). . The burr is removed by the control of the control unit 75 described above.

In the present invention, assuming that burrs cannot be removed by one cleaning, the following steps are provided.
It is checked whether or not burrs remain at the stored position P during the next round (ST09). If it is No, since there is no burr, it returns to before ST02.

  If a burr is detected in ST09, “1” is added to the flag F (ST10). If the flag F is greater than 0 (for example, 1), the setting of the swing cylinder (FIG. 3, reference numeral 25) is changed to increase the pressing force (ST11). As the number of turns increases, the flag F increases as 1, 2, and 3, and the pressing force also increases.

Depending on the size and shape of the burr, it may not be removed with a brush. Therefore, the pressing force is kept “N” times (for example, 5 times).
Therefore, F is monitored (ST12). When F becomes N or more, an alarm is issued (ST13), and the trolley wheel is stopped (ST14). Next, measures such as removing burrs or replacing the power supply line by another method are taken.

  The above control is only an example, and can be changed as appropriate. For example, not only the pressing force is increased with the increase in the number of rotations, but also the rotation direction of the brush may be rotated in the opposite direction to the previous rotation. Further, for example, it is recommended that the vacuum be started before the brush rotation and the vacuum be stopped after the brush rotation is stopped.

  Moreover, although this invention was applied to the workpiece conveyance equipment which conveys a vehicle body, an electric product and another machine part may be sufficient as a workpiece | work.

  In addition, although the trolley vehicle or the towed vehicle is provided with the burr detection mechanism, the burr detection mechanism may be provided on the power supply line along the rail instead of being provided on the trolley vehicle side. In that case, an image sensor can be used, and a sensor is required for each detection range of the burr detection sensor of this burr detection mechanism.

  The work transfer equipment has an example in which a rotary encoder is attached to the axle of the drive wheel, and the travel distance from a certain point can be accumulated to identify the drive wheel travel position. The equipment divides the rail that runs so that multiple trolley cars do not collide into multiple areas, and controls the running of multiple trolley cars so that only one trolley car can run in one area There is. This example is also acceptable. In that case, the traveling position of the drive wheel can be specified in an area in the range of several meters. That is, it is grasped | ascertained by the control means of a conveyance installation which area is drive | working with the sensor arrange | positioned on a rail.

  The present invention is suitable for a work transfer facility for transferring a vehicle body.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Work conveyance equipment, 11 ... Rail, 12 ... Trolley wheel, 17 ... Work (body), 20 ... Towed vehicle, 22 ... Towed vehicle, 40 ... Feed line, 50 ... Gas ejection mechanism, 55 ... Suction mechanism, 60 ... Rotating brush mechanism, 70 ... Burr detection mechanism, 75 ... Control unit.
65

Next, configuration examples of the suction mechanism 55 and the rotating brush mechanism 60 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 6 which is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. The vacuum means 57 includes a generating mechanism, and the vacuum hose 58 extends from the vacuum means 57 and is connected to the suction hole 56.
The suction mechanism 55 sucks burrs and dust removed from the power supply line.
Examples of the dust sucked by the suction mechanism 55 include abrasion powder, dust, and dust on the power supply line.

The invention according to claim 1 is a trolley vehicle that includes a rail provided with a power supply line, and a current collector that is in sliding contact with the power supply line, receives power for self-propelled from the power supply line, and conveys a work while moving along the rail. And a work transfer facility comprising a towed vehicle that moves along the rail while being pulled by the trolley vehicle,
The towed vehicle includes a towed vehicle that travels along the rail, a gas ejection mechanism that is provided on the towed vehicle and that ejects gas for removing burrs to the power supply line, and is provided on the towed vehicle. A rotating brush mechanism that removes burrs generated on the power supply line, and a suction mechanism that sucks burrs and dust removed from the towed vehicle body,
The work transfer equipment includes a control unit that controls the gas ejection mechanism, the rotating brush mechanism, and the suction mechanism ,
A burr detection mechanism for detecting the burr;
The control unit stores the burr detection position based on a burr detection signal when the burr detection mechanism detects a burr, and the gas ejection mechanism and the rotating brush when the towed vehicle reaches the storage position. Activating at least one of the mechanisms and the suction mechanism ;

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the burr detection mechanism is provided in the trolley wheel.

In addition, in the invention according to claim 1 , the rotating brush mechanism or the like is operated only when a burr is detected. Other than that, the rotating brush mechanism and the like are in an inoperative state. In the non-operating state, the degree of wear of the power supply line by the brush is greatly reduced.
For most of the time, the rotating brush mechanism and the like are at rest and do not consume electrical energy.
Therefore, according to claim 1, savings and electricity costs, wear protection of the power supply line is achieved.

In the invention which concerns on Claim 2 , the burr | flash detection mechanism is provided in the trolley wheel.
The burr detection mechanism can be filled with a small and light photoelectric sensor, and the load on the trolley car hardly increases.
Further, since the burr detection mechanism is provided in the trolley wheel preceding the rotary brush mechanism or the like, there is a distance and time margin from the burr detection to the rotation brush mechanism operation. Therefore, even if the traveling speeds of the trolley vehicle and the towed vehicle are high, the burrs can be removed with a margin.

Claims (3)

A rail provided with a power supply line, a trolley car that includes a current collector that is in sliding contact with the power supply line, receives power for self-propelling from the power supply line, and moves along the rail, and is pulled by the trolley car. While being a work conveyance facility consisting of a towed vehicle that moves along the rail,
The towed vehicle is a towed vehicle that travels along the rail; and
A gas ejection mechanism that is provided in the towed vehicle body and ejects gas for removing burrs to the power supply line;
A rotating brush mechanism that is provided on the towed vehicle body and removes burrs generated on the power supply line;
A suction mechanism for sucking burrs and dust removed from the towed vehicle body, and the gas ejection mechanism;
The work transfer facility includes a control unit that controls the rotating brush mechanism and the suction mechanism.   The workpiece transfer equipment includes a burr detection mechanism that detects the burr, and the control unit stores the burr detection position based on a burr detection signal when the burr detection mechanism detects the burr. 2. The work transfer equipment according to claim 1, wherein when the towed vehicle reaches a position, at least one of the gas jetting mechanism, the rotating brush mechanism, and the suction mechanism is operated.   The workpiece transfer facility according to claim 2, wherein the burr detection mechanism is provided in the trolley vehicle.

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