JP2016199342A - Part supply apparatus, robot system, and part supply method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce tact time per part and improve production efficiency of an entire production line.SOLUTION: A part supply apparatus (10) for supplying parts (P) to a robot (R) or an operator working in a production line, is configured to transport a tray (T) in which the parts (P) are disposed to a take-out position (PP) where the robot (R) or the operator takes out each part (P), and adjust an angle of the tray (T) disposed at the take-out position (PP) in such a manner that a position of each part (P) comes near the robot (R) or the operator.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a component supply device, a robot system, and a component supply method, and more particularly, to a component supply device, a robot system, and a component supply method that supply components to a robot and an operator working on a production line.

  In production lines used at manufacturing sites in various technical fields, the tact time (process work time for measuring the equal timing of each work process) of products to be worked on the production line is managed in 1 second units. Has been. Such tact time affects the production efficiency of the entire production line. For this reason, the tact time is determined for each product to be worked, and is required to be shortened as much as possible. Conventionally, in order to contribute to the reduction of the tact time, there has been proposed a technique for improving the efficiency of work by robots and workers working on a production line.

  For example, for a robot working on a production line, supply of two trays (pallets) on which parts are arranged and discharge of a tray that has been emptied after the parts are taken out with a simple configuration An exhaust device has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this tray supply / discharge device, two supply means for supplying the tray to the first and second use positions where the robot or the like takes out the parts, the discharge means for discharging the empty tray, the first and first A first holding member and a second holding member for holding the tray at each of the two use positions; the second holding member is swung; the tray on the second holding member is discharged to the discharge means; and the tray is removed from the first holding member. Receive and discharge to discharge means.

JP2011-219182A

  In the tray feeding / discharging device of Patent Document 1 described above, it is possible to improve the efficiency of taking out work by a robot or the like by simultaneously supplying the components arranged on the two trays. However, the trays arranged at the first and second use positions are fixed. For this reason, the working time when taking out the parts from the tray depends on the angle of the tray at the first and second use positions. Therefore, it is difficult to shorten the tact time for each component arranged on the tray.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a component supply device, a robot system, and a component supply method that can shorten the tact time for each component and improve the production efficiency of the entire production line. The purpose is to do.

  A component supply apparatus according to the present invention is a component supply apparatus that supplies a component to a robot or an operator who works on a production line, and a tray on which the component is arranged is placed at a position where the robot or the operator takes out the component. And a tray angle adjusting unit that adjusts an angle of the tray disposed at the take-out position so that the position of the component approaches the robot or an operator. .

  According to the above-described component supply device, the angle of the tray is adjusted so that the position of the component approaches the robot or the like at the component take-out position. Therefore, the distance between the component placed on the tray and the robot or the like is reduced. Can be shortened. Thereby, the amount of movement of the robot or the like when taking out the parts from the tray can be shortened. As a result, it is possible to shorten the work time when the parts are taken out from the tray by the robot or the like, shorten the tact time for each part, and improve the production efficiency of the entire production line.

  The component supply apparatus further includes a type determination unit that determines a type of the component, and the tray angle adjustment unit adjusts the angle of the tray according to the type of the component determined by the type determination unit. Is preferred. According to this configuration, since the angle of the tray is adjusted according to the type of component arranged on the tray, the tray can be arranged at an optimum angle according to the type of component. Thereby, it is possible to shorten the work time when the parts are taken out from the tray by a robot or the like according to the type of the parts. Further, since the angle of the tray is adjusted according to the type of the component arranged on the tray, the tray can be arranged at an angle optimal for a plurality of types of components. For this reason, a plurality of types of parts can be supplied to a robot or the like, and there is no need to provide a dedicated part supply device for each part on the production line. As a result, it is possible to flexibly cope with a change in work process in the production line, and to reduce the cost required to construct the production line.

  For example, in the component supply apparatus, the type determining unit can determine the type of the component by determining identification information given to the tray. According to this configuration, since the type of the part is determined by determining the identification information given to the tray, there is no need to individually determine the part. For this reason, the process for determining the type of component can be simplified, and the time required for the determination process can be shortened.

  In particular, in the component supply apparatus, it is preferable that the type determination unit determines the identification information given to the tray during the transfer process in the transfer unit. According to this configuration, since the type of the part is determined during the tray transport process, the type of the part can be determined before the part extraction operation by the robot or the like is executed. For this reason, it is not necessary to provide a separate time for the part type determination process, and the time required for the determination process can be reduced.

  The said component supply apparatus WHEREIN: It is preferable that the said tray angle adjustment means adjusts the angle of the said tray according to the holding | maintenance form of the said component in the said tray. According to this configuration, the angle of the tray is adjusted according to the holding form of the component in the tray, so that the tray is arranged at the optimum position according to the type of component while avoiding the situation of the component falling from the tray. can do.

  The component supply apparatus further includes a position determination unit that determines the position of the component, and the tray angle adjustment unit adjusts the angle of the tray according to the position of the component determined by the position determination unit. It is preferable to do. According to this configuration, since the angle of the tray is adjusted according to the position of the component in the tray, the tray can be arranged at an optimum angle according to the position of the component. Thereby, it is possible to shorten the work time when taking out the part from the tray by the robot or the like according to the position of the part.

  For example, in the component supply apparatus, the position determination unit is configured by an imaging unit that images the tray disposed at the take-out position, and the tray angle adjustment unit is configured to capture the tray at the time of imaging by the imaging unit. Adjust the angle. According to this configuration, the angle of the tray is adjusted at the time of imaging by the imaging unit, so that the components arranged on the tray can be moved to the focal position on the imaging unit. Thereby, processing such as focusing in the imaging unit can be omitted, and the time required for determining the component position can be shortened. In addition, functions such as autofocus can be omitted, and the cost required for the imaging means can be reduced.

  In the component supply apparatus, the position determination unit determines a position of the component to be a next operation target after the component is taken out by the robot or an operator, and the tray angle adjustment unit includes the robot or the work. It is preferable to adjust the angle of the tray during a work on the part by a person. According to this configuration, since the angle of the tray is adjusted during work on the parts by the robot or the like, it is not necessary to provide additional time for the determination process of the position of the parts in the tray and the adjustment process of the tray angle. The time required for these processes can be shortened.

  The component supply apparatus may further include discharge means for discharging the tray from the apparatus main body by its own weight, and the tray angle adjusting means may be configured such that the tray angle is adjusted to an angle at which the tray moves to a discharge path by the discharge means. Is preferably adjusted. According to this configuration, since the tray is adjusted to an angle at which the tray moves to the discharge path by the discharge unit by the tray angle adjusting unit, it is not necessary to separately prepare a configuration for transporting the tray to the discharge unit. For this reason, the structure of the apparatus main body can be simplified.

  A robot system according to the present invention includes any one of the above-described component supply devices and a robot that extracts the components from the tray disposed at the extraction position in the component supply device.

  According to the robot system, by providing any one of the above-described parts supply devices, it is possible to shorten the work time when the parts are taken out from the tray by the robot or the like, and the tact time for each part is shortened to reduce the entire production line. The production efficiency can be improved.

  A component supply method according to the present invention is a component supply method for supplying a component to a robot or an operator working on a production line, wherein a tray on which the component is placed is placed at a position where the robot or the operator takes out the component. A conveying step for conveying, and a tray angle adjusting step for adjusting an angle of the tray arranged at the take-out position so that the position of the component approaches the robot or an operator. .

  According to the above-described component supply method, the angle of the tray is adjusted so that the position of the component approaches the robot or the like at the component take-out position. Therefore, the distance between the component placed on the tray and the robot or the like is reduced. Can be shortened. Thereby, the amount of movement of the robot or the like when taking out the parts from the tray can be shortened. As a result, it is possible to shorten the work time when the parts are taken out from the tray by the robot or the like, shorten the tact time for each part, and improve the production efficiency of the entire production line.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to shorten the tact time for each part and improve the production efficiency of the entire production line.

It is an outline explanatory view of the 1st side of a parts supply device concerning the present invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the 1st side surface of the components supply apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a general | schematic explanatory drawing of the 2nd side surface of the components supply apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is outline | summary explanatory drawing of the 3rd side surface of the components supply apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is outline | summary explanatory drawing of the 3rd side surface of the components supply apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing of a structure of the components supply apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of a structure of the components supply apparatus which concerns on the modification of 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of a structure of the components supply apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of a structure of the components supply apparatus which concerns on the modification of 2nd Embodiment.

  The component supply apparatus according to the present invention supplies components to a robot or an operator working on a production line. For example, the component supply device according to the present invention is suitably used in a production line of a cell production system corresponding to variant-variable production. However, the production line to which the component supply apparatus according to the present invention is applied is not limited to this and can be applied to any production line.

  In the following, for convenience of explanation, a case where parts are supplied to a robot working on a production line will be described. However, parts supply targets include workers working on the production line. It is also possible to arrange the component supply devices according to the present invention in parallel to supply components to both the robot and the operator.

  Generally, in a production line used at a manufacturing site, the tact time of a product to be worked is managed in units of 1 second, for example. Such a tact time affects the production efficiency of the entire production line, so that it is required to be shortened as much as possible while ensuring the accuracy of the work. Therefore, in the production line, the work time for each work process is set in advance, and the tact time is managed to be the shortest. However, a substantial reduction in work time by a robot or an operator in each work process has a limit in ensuring work accuracy.

  On the other hand, the tact time in the production line includes the time required for the robot or the like to take out the part from the tray on which the part is placed. The present inventors have noted that the tact time includes a time that can be reduced in addition to the substantial work time of the robot or the like. Then, the inventors have found that shortening the time for taking out components from the tray contributes to shortening the tact time, and have arrived at the present invention. That is, in the component supply apparatus according to the present invention, the gist is to shorten the tact time by shortening the movement amount of the robot or the like for taking out components from the tray.

  The first side surface of the component supply apparatus according to the present invention is such that the component is moved closer to the robot or the like by conveying the tray on which the component is arranged to the component extraction position by the robot or the like, and adjusting the angle of the tray at the extraction position. It is something to be made. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the work time when taking out the parts from the tray through shortening the movement amount when the robots take out the parts.

  1 and 2 are schematic explanatory views of a first side surface of the component supply apparatus according to the present invention. In the component supply apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1, the component P supplied to the robot R is disposed on the tray T. The tray T has a box shape opened to the upper side. On the tray T, a plurality of parts P are arranged in front, rear, left, and right in the transport direction of the tray T in plan view (see FIG. 5). In the following, a case where the maximum number of parts P that can be held by the tray T will be described, but the quantity of the parts P held by the tray T may vary depending on the type of product produced on the production line. . Further, the holding form of the component P in the tray T changes according to the size and shape of the component P.

  Further, the robot R that receives component supply from the component supply apparatus 10 includes, for example, an arm that is driven in an arbitrary direction. By exchanging the end effector attached to the tip of the arm, it is possible to cope with various kinds of work. The robot R is mounted with a stereo camera (not shown) at a predetermined position. For example, the robot R can take a picture of the tray T transported to the take-out position PP with a stereo camera, and can recognize the component P that is the target of the take-out work (pickup work).

  As shown in FIG. 1, the component supply device 10 includes a transport mechanism 11 that transports a tray T on which a component P is disposed, and a swing that swings the tray T disposed at a position P where the robot R takes out the component P. The mechanism 12 is configured to include a control device 13 that performs overall control of the component supply device 10 including swing control of the swing mechanism 12. In the following, in the component supply apparatus 10, the robot R side (left side shown in FIG. 1) is called the front side, and the opposite side (right side shown in FIG. 1) of the robot R is called the rear side. And

  The transport mechanism 11 includes, for example, a metal frame 111 and a plurality of guide rollers 112 that are rotatably supported by the frame 111. The frame body 111 is provided in a part of a component storage shelf (not shown). The frame body 111 is disposed so as to be gently inclined so that the front end portion (robot R side) is slightly lowered. The guide roller 112 has, for example, a cylindrical shape, and is supported by the frame 111 so as to be rotatable about an axis arranged in the depth direction of FIG. These guide rollers 112 are composed of free rollers, and rotate according to the tray T disposed thereon. The guide roller 112 may be a free flow conveyor or a general conveyor.

  As with the transport mechanism 11, the swing mechanism 12 includes a metal frame 121 and a plurality of guide rollers 122 that are rotatably supported by the frame 121. A rotation shaft 123 is provided at the center of the frame body 121. The rotating shaft 123 is rotatably supported by the component storage shelf, so that the frame body 121 is configured to be swingable within a certain range. In an initial state in which no driving force is received from the driving motor M, which will be described later, the frame body 121 is disposed at the same angle (the angle shown in FIG. 1) as the frame body 111 of the transport mechanism 11. A support wall portion 124 that supports the tray T that is transported from the transport mechanism 11 is provided at the front end of the frame body 121. The guide roller 122 has the same configuration as the guide roller 112 of the transport mechanism 11 and rotates according to the tray T disposed thereon. The guide roller 122 may be a free flow conveyor or a general conveyor.

  An operation panel 14 is connected to the control device 13 by wire or wirelessly. The operation panel 14 is operated by an administrator who manages a production line on which the component supply apparatus 10 is deployed. For example, the operation panel 14 has an input function and can receive information such as the optimum angle of the frame 121 for each component. The operation panel 14 has a display function and can display, for example, an information input screen such as the angle of the frame 121 described above and a status in the component supply apparatus 10.

  Here, the optimum angle of the frame 121 for each part P is the weight of the tray T on which the part P is arranged, the holding mode of the part P in the tray T, the shape of the end effector of the robot R that takes out the part P from the tray T, and the like. Is set according to For example, the angle of the frame body 121 can be set based on the track record of the part P removal time by the robot R while changing these conditions. The operator of the operation panel 14 grasps in advance the optimum angle of the frame 121 for each component and inputs this angle at a necessary timing.

  The control device 13 is provided with a storage unit 131 and an angle adjustment unit 132. The storage unit 131 stores information necessary for various controls by the component supply apparatus 10. In particular, the storage unit 131 stores the optimum angle of the frame body 121 for each part input from the operation panel 14. More specifically, the storage unit 131 has an angle at which the position of the part P on the tray T arranged at the take-out position PP approaches the robot R as the optimum angle of the frame 121 for each part. Remembered.

  The angle adjustment unit 132 is connected to a drive motor M that swings the frame 121 with the rotation shaft 123 as a rotation fulcrum. The angle adjustment unit 132 calculates the drive amount of the drive motor M based on the optimum angle of the frame body 121 for each component stored in the storage unit 131 and outputs the drive amount to the drive motor M. The drive motor M swings the frame body 121 according to the drive amount received from the angle adjustment unit 132 and adjusts the angle of the frame body 121. That is, the angle adjusting unit 132 plays a role of adjusting the angle of the frame body 121 of the swing mechanism 12 via the drive motor M.

  In addition, the component supply apparatus 10 may include a discharge mechanism 15 that discharges the tray T, which is empty after the component P is taken out by the robot R, from the apparatus main body. The discharge mechanism 15 includes, for example, a metal frame 151 and a plurality of guide rollers 152 that are rotatably supported by the frame 151. The frame 151 is provided in a part of a component storage shelf (not shown). The frame body 151 is disposed so as to be inclined so that the front end portion on the rear side (right side shown in FIG. 1) is lowered. The guide roller 152 has the same configuration as the guide roller 112 of the transport mechanism 11 and rotates according to the tray T disposed thereon. As will be described in detail later, in the discharge mechanism 15, the tray T delivered from the swing mechanism 12 is conveyed by its own weight. The guide roller 152 may be a free flow conveyor or a general conveyor.

  An operation of supplying the component P to the robot R in the component supply apparatus 10 having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. It is assumed that the tray T is not disposed on the frame body 121 before the start of component supply to the robot R. Further, the frame body 121 of the swing mechanism 12 is disposed at an initial position (position shown in FIG. 1).

  When the component supply device 10 starts supplying components to the robot R, the start of component supply is instructed via the operation panel 14 and the optimum angle of the frame 121 of the component to be supplied is input. The The angle of the frame 121 input via the operation panel 14 is stored in the storage unit 131.

  When the start of component supply is instructed, the tray T on which the component P is arranged is transported by the transport mechanism 11. For example, the tray T is transported to the swing mechanism 12 by releasing a stopper (not shown) provided at the front end of the transport mechanism 11. The tray T transported by the transport mechanism 11 moves to a position that reaches the support wall portion 124 of the frame body 121. When the support wall 124 is reached, the tray T is in a state where it is disposed at the part P take-out position PP by the robot R.

  When the tray T reaches the take-out position PP, the angle adjusting unit 132 reads the optimum angle of the frame body 121 for the component P on the tray T from the storage unit 131. Then, the angle adjustment unit 132 calculates a drive amount corresponding to the angle of the frame body 121 and outputs the drive amount to the drive motor M. The frame body 121 is swung according to the drive amount instructed from the angle adjustment unit 132 by the drive motor M. At this time, the angle of the tray T on the frame body 121 is adjusted so that the component P on the tray T approaches the robot R side.

  For example, when the part P11 arranged on the rear side on the tray T is taken out by the robot R, the angle adjustment unit 132 swings the frame body 121 in the direction of arrow A as shown in FIG. The drive motor M is driven so as to approach the robot R side. Thereby, the distance between the robot R and the component P11 is shortened. Then, the component P11 is taken out by the robot R with the angle of the tray T on the frame 121 adjusted in this manner.

  On the other hand, when the part P12 arranged on the front side on the tray T is taken out by the robot R, the angle adjustment unit 132 swings the frame body 121 in the arrow B direction as shown in FIG. The drive motor M is driven so as to approach the robot R side. Thereby, the distance between the robot R and the component P12 is shortened. Then, the component P12 is taken out by the robot R with the angle of the tray T on the frame 121 adjusted in this way.

  When the angle of the tray T is adjusted as described above, the movement amount of the robot R when taking out the parts P11 and P12 is shortened compared to the case where the angle of the tray T is not adjusted. In FIG. 1, the movement amount of the robot R when the angle of the tray T is adjusted is indicated by a broken line arrow L1, and the movement amount of the robot R added when the angle of the tray T is not adjusted is indicated by a solid line arrow L2. . That is, when adjusting the angle of the tray T, the movement amount of the robot R when taking out the parts P11 and P12 is shortened by the length indicated by the solid line arrow L2 as compared with the case where the angle of the tray T is not adjusted.

  As described above, in the component supply apparatus 10, the angle of the tray T is adjusted so that the position of the component P approaches the robot R at the extraction position PP of the component P by the robot R. For this reason, the distance between the component P arranged on the tray T and the robot R can be shortened. Thereby, the amount of movement of the robot or the like when taking out the parts from the tray T can be shortened. As a result, it is possible to shorten the work time when the robot R takes out the component P from the tray T, and to shorten the tact time for each component P.

  In the component supply apparatus 10, the adjustment of the angle of the tray T in the swing mechanism 12 is performed in consideration of the holding mode of the component P in the tray T. For this reason, it is possible to arrange the tray T at an optimal position according to the type of the component P while avoiding the situation where the component P falls from the tray T.

  When the tray T is emptied after such an operation of taking out the component P is repeated, the angle adjusting unit 132 calculates a drive amount corresponding to the angle at which the tray T moves to the discharge path of the discharge mechanism 15. That is, the angle adjustment unit 132 calculates a driving amount such that the angle of the frame body 121 is the same as that of the frame body 151 of the discharge mechanism 15. Then, the angle adjustment unit 132 outputs the calculated drive amount to the drive motor M. The frame body 121 is swung according to the drive amount instructed from the angle adjustment unit 132 by the drive motor M. Accordingly, the tray T on the frame body 121 is driven so as to have the same inclination angle as that of the frame body 151.

  When the frame body 121 is driven at the same angle as the frame body 151, the tray T slides down to the discharge mechanism 15 due to its own weight. And it is accommodated in the tray collection | recovery case which is the back side of the discharge mechanism 15 and is arrange | positioned outside the components supply apparatus 10 (not shown). Note that the tray T accommodated in the tray collection case is collected by an operator who is in charge of collecting the tray T.

  When the tray T is discharged from the swing mechanism 12, the angle adjustment unit 132 calculates a drive amount corresponding to an angle at which the frame body 121 returns to the initial position, and outputs it to the drive motor M. The frame body 121 is swung according to the drive amount instructed from the angle adjustment unit 132 by the drive motor M. Thereby, the frame body 121 will be in the state arrange | positioned in the initial position (position shown in FIG. 1). Then, a stopper (not shown) provided at the front end of the transport mechanism 11 is released, and a new tray T on which the component P is arranged is transported to the swing mechanism 12.

  Thus, in the component supply apparatus 10, the angle adjustment unit 132 adjusts the angle on the frame body 121 to the angle at which the tray T moves to the discharge path, so that the tray T is transported to the discharge mechanism 15. Need not be prepared separately. For this reason, the structure of the components supply apparatus 10 can be simplified.

  The second aspect of the component supply apparatus according to the present invention relates to the first aspect in that it determines the type of component arranged on the tray and adjusts the tray angle according to the determined component type. This is different from the component supply apparatus 10. In this way, by adjusting the angle of the tray according to the type of the part, it is possible to shorten the work time when the part is taken out from the tray by the robot according to the type of the part.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a second side of the component supply apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 3, components having the same functions as those of the component supply apparatus 10 shown in FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the component supply device 20 is different from the component supply device 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 in that the conveyance mechanism 11 includes a reading device 113 and the control device 13 includes a type determination unit 133.

  The reading device 113 is used when determining the type of the component P placed on the tray T. For example, the reading device 113 is configured by a barcode reader that reads a barcode attached to the side surface of the tray T. For example, the barcode attached to the side surface of the tray T includes identification information indicating the type of the component P placed on the tray T. The identification information of the component P read by the reading device 113 is output to the type determination unit 133 of the control device 13. Note that the reading device 113 can also be configured by a QR code (registered trademark) reader that reads a QR code (registered trademark) attached to the side surface of the tray T. Furthermore, the identification information may be arranged not only on the side surface of the tray T but also on the bottom surface. In this case, the reading device 113 is provided on the bottom surface of the transport mechanism 11.

  The type determination unit 133 determines the type of the component P based on the identification information output from the barcode reader 113. The type of the part P determined by the type determination unit 133 is output to the angle adjustment unit 132 and used for adjusting the angle of the frame body 121. In addition, although the case where the determined type of the component P is output to the angle adjustment unit 132 is described here, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the determined type of the component P may be output and stored in the storage unit 131 and read by the angle adjustment unit 132 as necessary.

  In the component supply device 20, it is preferable that the storage unit 131 stores the optimum angle of the frame body 121 for each component P before the component supply operation is executed. By storing the optimum angle of the frame 121 for each component P in advance as described above, the angle adjustment unit 132 automatically selects the optimum frame 121 for each component P according to the determination result of the type determination unit 133. The angle can be read out.

  The operation of supplying the component P to the robot R in the component supply apparatus 20 having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, about arrangement | positioning of the tray T and the frame 121 before a component supply start, it shall be the same as the condition of operation | movement description of the component supply apparatus 10 which concerns on a 1st side surface. Further, it is assumed that the optimum angle of the frame body 121 for each component P is stored in the storage unit 131. Furthermore, the reading device 113 is assumed to be constituted by a barcode reader that reads a barcode attached to the side surface of the tray T.

  The component supply operation in the component supply device 20 is only in that the type of the component P is determined based on the bar code attached to the tray T arranged on the transport mechanism 11, and the component supply device 10 shown in FIGS. And different. For this reason, the following description will focus on differences from the operation of the component supply apparatus 10.

  In the component supply device 20, when the start of component supply is instructed, the barcode attached to the tray T is read by the reading device (barcode reader) 113 of the transport mechanism 11. Then, the identification information of the component P included in the barcode is output to the type determination unit 133. The type determination unit 133 determines the type of the component P from this identification information. Then, the type of the component P determined by the type determination unit 133 is output to the angle adjustment unit 132.

  When the type of the component P is received, the angle adjustment unit 132 reads the optimum angle of the frame body 121 corresponding to the type of the component P from the storage unit 131. Then, the angle adjustment unit 132 calculates a drive amount corresponding to this angle and outputs it to the drive motor M. The frame body 121 is swung according to the drive amount instructed from the angle adjustment unit 132 by the drive motor M. At this time, the angle of the tray T on the frame body 121 is adjusted so that the component P approaches the robot R side according to the type of the component P on the tray T. Since the subsequent operation is the same as that of the component supply apparatus 10, description thereof is omitted.

  As described above, the component supply apparatus 20 has a configuration (barcode reader 113, type determination unit 133) for determining the type of the component P, and the angle of the tray T depends on the determined type of the component P. Since the adjustment is made, the tray T can be arranged at an optimum angle according to the type of the component P. Thereby, according to the classification of the component P, the work time when taking out the component P from the tray T by the robot R can be shortened.

  Moreover, in the component supply apparatus 20, since the angle of the tray T is adjusted according to the type of the component P disposed on the tray T, the tray T can be disposed at an angle optimal for a plurality of types of components P. it can. For this reason, a plurality of types of components P can be supplied to the robot R, and there is no need to provide a dedicated component supply device for each component P in the production line. As a result, it is possible to flexibly cope with a change in work process in the production line, and to reduce the cost required to construct the production line.

  Here, a case where the reading device 113 is provided as a component for determining the type of the component P arranged on the tray T is described. However, the component that determines the type of the component P is not limited to this, and can be changed as appropriate. For example, it is possible to provide an imaging device that images the entire tray T arranged at the take-out position PP, and to determine the type of the component P based on image data captured by the imaging device. In this case, the type determination unit 133 stores the image data of the tray T in which the different types of components P are arranged in advance, and determines the type of the components P by matching with the image data from the imaging device. be able to.

  The third side surface of the component supply apparatus according to the present invention relates to the second side surface in that the position of the component arranged on the tray is determined and the angle of the tray is adjusted according to the determined position of the component. This is different from the component supply device 20. By adjusting the angle of the tray according to the position of the component in this way, it is possible to shorten the work time when taking out the component from the tray by the robot according to the position of the component.

  4 and 5 are schematic explanatory views of a third side surface of the component supply apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 4, components having the same functions as those of the component supply apparatus 20 shown in FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the component supply device 30 includes the imaging device 16 that captures an area including the removal position PP of the component P, and the component supply device illustrated in FIG. 3 in that the control device 13 includes a position determination unit 134. 20 and different.

  The imaging device 16 is disposed, for example, on the upper side of the swing mechanism 12, and images an area including the extraction position PP. For example, the imaging device 16 includes a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor and a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. The imaging device 16 images a region including the take-out position PP and outputs the captured image data to the control device 13.

  The position determination unit 134 determines the position of the component P on the tray T based on the image data output from the imaging device 16. For example, the position determination unit 134 stores in advance image data (hereinafter referred to as “comparison target data”) of the tray T in which different numbers of components P are arranged, and performs matching with the image data from the imaging device 16. Thus, the position of the part P is determined. The position of the component P determined by the position determination unit 134 is output to the angle adjustment unit 132 and is used for adjusting the inclination angle of the frame body 121.

  Here, a case has been described in which comparison target data used for determining the position of the component P is held by the position determination unit 134, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the comparison target data may be held in the storage unit 131 and read by the position determination unit 134 as necessary. Moreover, although the case where the determined position of the component P is output to the angle adjustment unit 132 has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the determined position of the component P may be output and stored in the storage unit 131 and read by the angle adjustment unit 132 as necessary.

  In the component supply apparatus 30, it is preferable that the storage unit 131 stores an optimum angle of the frame body 121 according to the position of the component P on the tray T before the component supply operation is performed. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the storage unit 131 stores the angles of the frame body 121 corresponding to the plurality of areas AR <b> 1 to AR <b> 3 obtained by dividing the tray T in the front-rear direction. That is, the storage unit 131 stores the optimum angle of the frame body 121 corresponding to the component P arranged in the areas AR1 to AR3.

  The operation of supplying the component P to the robot R in the component supply apparatus 30 having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, about arrangement | positioning of the tray T and the frame 121 before a component supply start, it shall be the same as the condition of operation | movement description of the component supply apparatus 10 which concerns on a 1st side surface. Further, it is assumed that the optimum angle of the frame body 121 corresponding to the position of the component P on the tray T is stored in the storage unit 131.

  The component supply operation in the component supply device 30 differs from the component supply device 20 shown in FIG. 3 only in that the tray T arranged at the take-out position PP is imaged and the position of the component P is determined based on the captured image data. To do. For this reason, the following description will focus on differences from the component supply device 20.

  When the tray T on which the component P is placed is transported to the take-out position PP by the transport mechanism 11 in the same manner as the component supply device 20, the tray T is imaged by the imaging device 16 in the component supply device 30. Then, the captured image data is output to the control device 13 (position determination unit 134). Upon receiving this image data, the position determination unit 134 determines the position of the component P by matching with the comparison image data. Then, the position of the component P determined by the position determination unit 134 is output to the angle adjustment unit 132.

  When the position of the part P is received, the angle adjustment unit 132 reads the optimum angle of the frame body 121 according to the position of the part P from the storage unit 131. Then, the angle adjustment unit 132 calculates a drive amount corresponding to this angle and outputs it to the drive motor M. The frame body 121 is swung according to the drive amount instructed from the angle adjustment unit 132 by the drive motor M. At this time, the angle of the tray T on the frame 121 is adjusted so that the part P to be taken out approaches the robot R side according to the position of the part P on the tray T. Since the subsequent operation is the same as that of the component supply apparatus 10, description thereof is omitted.

  For example, when the position determination unit 134 determines that the position of the component P is on the rear side of the tray T (here, the area AR3 shown in FIG. 5), the angle adjustment unit 132 responds to the area AR3 from the storage unit 131. The optimum angle of the frame 121 is read out. Then, the angle adjustment unit 132 calculates a driving amount corresponding to this angle, and as shown in FIG. 2A, swings the frame body 121 in the direction of arrow A, causing the component P (P11) to approach the robot R side. . Thereby, the distance between the robot R and the component P (P11) is shortened. Then, the part P (P11) is taken out by the robot R with the angle of the frame body 121 adjusted in this way.

  On the other hand, when the position determination unit 134 determines that the position of the part P is the front side of the tray T (here, the area AR2 shown in FIG. 5), the angle adjustment unit 132 responds to the area AR2 from the storage unit 131. The optimum tilt angle of the frame 121 is read out. Then, the angle adjustment unit 132 calculates a drive amount corresponding to the inclination angle, and as shown in FIG. 2B, swings the frame 121 in the direction of arrow B, and moves the component P (P12) closer to the robot R side. Let Thereby, the distance between the robot R and the component P (P12) is shortened. Then, the part P (P12) is taken out by the robot R with the angle of the frame body 121 adjusted in this way.

  As described above, the component supply device 30 has a configuration (the imaging device 16 and the position determination unit 134) for determining the position of the component P, and the angle of the tray T is adjusted according to the determined position of the component P. Therefore, the tray T can be arranged at an optimum angle according to the position of the component P. As a result, the work time when the part P is taken out from the tray T by the robot R according to the position of the part P can be shortened.

  In the component supply device 30, the angle adjustment unit 132 of the control device 13 preferably adjusts the angle of the frame body 121 when the imaging device 16 images the tray T. For example, the angle adjustment unit 132 can adjust the angle of the frame body 121 by calculating the drive amount of the drive motor M based on the position of the component P determined in the previous imaging process. In this case, the component P on the tray T can be moved to the focal position in the imaging device 16. Thereby, processing such as focusing in the imaging device 16 can be omitted, and the time required for determining the position of the component P can be shortened. In addition, functions such as autofocus can be omitted, and the cost required for the imaging device 16 can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments of a parts supply device concerning the present invention are described in detail with reference to an accompanying drawing. In the following embodiments, for convenience of explanation, components having the same functions as those of the component supply device 30 shown in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of the component supply device 40 according to the first embodiment. In the component supply apparatus 40 according to the first embodiment, the tray T on which the component P is arranged is transported to the take-out position PP on the swing mechanism 12 by the transport mechanism 11, and the component P is moved to the robot by the swing mechanism 12. The frame 121 is swung so as to approach R, and the angle of the tray T is adjusted. The tray T from which all the parts P have been taken out by the robot R is gripped by the robot R and discharged from the apparatus main body.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a bar code reader 113 a is provided as a reading device 113 in the vicinity of the rear end portion of the frame body 111 constituting the transport mechanism 11. The barcode reader 113a reads a barcode (not shown) attached to the side surface of the tray T. This bar code includes identification information indicating the type of the component P placed on the tray T. The identification information of the component P read by the barcode reader 113a is output to the type determination unit 133 of the control device 13.

  A stopper 114 that restricts the movement of the tray T toward the front side is provided on the front side of the frame body 111 that constitutes the transport mechanism 11. For example, the stopper 114 protrudes on the transport path of the tray T by the transport mechanism 11 and can be stored in the frame 111. The stopper 114 protrudes on the transport path when the tray T is arranged at the take-out position PP on the swing mechanism 12, and is stored in the frame 111 when the tray T at the take-out position PP is discharged. The tray T on the transport mechanism 11 is supplied to the take-out position PP by being stored in the frame 111 at a timing when a new tray T is required at the take-out position PP.

  A cam 125 is provided on the lower side in the vicinity of the rear end portion of the frame body 121 constituting the swing mechanism 12. The cam 125 has a generally oval shape in a side view. At the center of the cam 125, a rotating shaft 125a extending in the depth direction of the paper surface shown in FIG. A driving motor M is provided on the rotating shaft 125a. The cam 125 is configured to receive a driving force from the driving motor M and to rotate about the rotation shaft 125a as a rotation fulcrum. The frame body 121 is disposed in contact with the upper peripheral surface of the cam 125. Therefore, when the cam 125 rotates, the rear end portion of the frame body 121 moves in the vertical direction. As a result, the frame body 121 swings about the rotation shaft 123 as a rotation fulcrum. Along with this, the angle of the tray T arranged on the frame body 121 changes.

  A buffer member 17 is disposed below the swing mechanism 12. The buffer member 17 is provided in a part of the component storage shelf S. The shock-absorbing member 17 is disposed at a position where it contacts when the front end of the frame body 121 moves downward. The buffer member 17 serves to alleviate an impact generated in the frame body 121 as the frame body 121 swings by the swing mechanism 12. By mitigating the impact generated in the frame body 121 by the buffer member 17, it is possible to avoid a situation where the component P arranged on the tray T falls off the tray T.

  The control device 13 is connected to the control unit R1 of the robot R. For example, the control device 13 is connected to the control unit R1 wirelessly, but can also be wired. The control unit R1 performs overall control of the robot R including control for taking out the component P and control for discharging the tray T. The control device 13 communicates signals necessary for tray T discharge control with the control unit R1. For example, the control device 13 outputs a tray T discharge instruction signal to the control unit R1, and receives a tray T discharge completion signal from the control unit R1.

  Next, the supply operation of the component P in the component supply apparatus 40 having such a configuration will be described. It is assumed that the tray T is not disposed on the swing mechanism 12 before the start of component supply to the robot R. Further, the frame body 121 of the swing mechanism 12 is disposed at an initial position (position shown in FIG. 6). Furthermore, it is assumed that the storage unit 131 of the control device 13 stores the optimum angle of the frame body 121 according to the type of the component P and the position of the component P on the tray T.

  When operation of the production line is instructed from the operation panel 14 or the like, a reading instruction signal is output from the type determination unit 133 of the control device 13 to the barcode reader 113a. In response to this, the barcode of the tray T arranged on the transport mechanism 11 is read by the barcode reader 113a. Identification information indicating the type of the component P included in the read barcode is output to the type determination unit 133. The type determination unit 133 determines the type of the component P from this identification information, and outputs the determination result (the type of the component P) to the angle adjustment unit 132.

  In parallel with the reading of the barcode, the position determination unit 134 instructs the imaging device 16 to image the area on the swing mechanism 12. In response to this instruction, the imaging device 16 captures an area on the swing mechanism 12 and outputs the captured image data to the position determination unit 134. When the image data is received, the position determination unit 134 determines the presence or absence of the tray T on the swing mechanism 12 and also determines the position of the component P on the tray T. These determinations are made by matching with previously stored image data (such as the comparison image data described above). Here, it is assumed that the tray T is not disposed on the swing mechanism 12.

  When it is determined that the tray T is not disposed on the swing mechanism 12, a release signal for the stopper 114 is output from the control device 13 to the transport mechanism 11. Thereby, the stopper 114 is accommodated in the frame 111, and the conveyance path of the tray T is opened. Along with this, the tray T on the transport mechanism 11 is transported onto the swing mechanism 12 by its own weight. Then, when the front end portion of the tray T reaches the support wall portion 124 on the swinging mechanism 12, the tray T is in a state where it is disposed at the part PP removal position PP by the robot R.

  At the timing when the tray T reaches the take-out position PP, the position determination unit 134 instructs the image pickup device 16 to pick up an area on the swing mechanism 12 again. In response to this instruction, the imaging device 16 captures an area on the swing mechanism 12 and outputs the captured image data to the position determination unit 134. When the image data is received, the position determination unit 134 determines the presence or absence of the tray T on the swing mechanism 12 and also determines the position of the component P on the tray T. Here, since the tray T is arranged at the take-out position PP, the position of the part P is determined, and the determination result is output to the angle adjustment unit 132.

  When the angle adjustment unit 132 receives the type and position of the component P, the angle adjustment unit 132 reads the optimum angle of the frame body 121 according to the type and position of the component P from the storage unit 131. Then, the angle adjustment unit 132 calculates a drive amount corresponding to this angle and outputs it to the drive motor M. And the angle of the frame 121 is adjusted by the cam 125 rotating with the drive of the drive motor M according to this drive amount. At this time, the tray T on the frame body 121 is adjusted to an angle at which the component P to be taken out approaches the robot R (see FIG. 2). Then, the part P is taken out by the robot R with the angle of the tray T adjusted in this way. When the part P is removed, a removal completion signal is output from the robot R to the control device 13 via the control unit R1.

  When this extraction completion signal is received, the position determination unit 134 instructs the imaging device 16 to image the area on the swing mechanism 12 again. In response to this instruction, the imaging device 16 images an area on the swing mechanism 12 and outputs the captured image data to the position determination unit 134. When receiving the image data, the position determination unit 134 determines the position of the component P in the tray T. Then, the determination result (the position of the component P) is output to the angle adjustment unit 132. When the position of the part P is received, the angle adjustment unit 132 reads the optimum angle of the frame body 121 according to the position of the part P and calculates the driving amount according to the angle as in the case described above. And output to the drive motor M. Then, the cam 125 rotates as the drive motor M is driven, so that the angle of the frame body 121 is adjusted.

  As described above, the adjustment of the angle of the frame body 121 according to the position of the component P to be next taken out by the robot R is performed during the work of the robot R on the component P taken out in advance. For this reason, it is not necessary to provide additional time for the process of determining the position of the component P in the tray T and the process of adjusting the angle of the tray T, and the time required for these processes can be shortened.

  As described above, when all the components P in the tray T are taken out while the determination of the position of the component P in the tray T and the adjustment of the inclination angle of the tray T are repeated, the image data from the imaging device 16 in the position determination unit 134 is extracted. It is determined by the determination process that there is no part P on the tray T. If it is determined that the part P does not exist, the control device 13 outputs a discharge instruction signal for instructing the controller R1 of the robot R to discharge the tray T.

  Upon receiving the discharge instruction signal, the control unit R1 outputs a grip signal for the tray T to the robot R. In response to this grip signal, the robot R grips the tray T and discharges it to a predetermined position on the apparatus main body side. When the discharge of the tray T is completed, a discharge completion signal is output from the robot R to the control device 13 via the control unit R1.

  When this discharge completion signal is received, a reading instruction signal is again output from the type determination unit 133 of the control device 13 to the barcode reader 113a. Thereafter, the supply operation of the component P to the robot R is repeated in the manner described above. For example, when the operation panel 14 or the like instructs to stop the operation of the production line, the supply operation of the component P by the component supply device 40 is finished.

  Thus, in the component supply apparatus 40 according to the first embodiment, the angle of the tray T is set so that the position of the component P approaches the robot R by the swing mechanism 12 at the extraction position PP of the component P by the robot R. Is adjusted. For this reason, the distance between the component P arranged on the tray T and the robot R can be shortened. Thereby, the amount of movement of the robot or the like when taking out the parts from the tray T can be shortened. As a result, it is possible to shorten the work time when the robot R takes out the component P from the tray T, and to shorten the tact time for each component P.

  Further, in the component supply device 40, the type of the component P is determined by determining the identification information given to the tray T (identification information included in the barcode attached to the tray T). Thereby, there is no need to individually determine the parts P arranged on the tray T. For this reason, the process for determining the type of the component P can be simplified and the time required for the determination process can be shortened.

  In particular, the barcode reader 113 a is provided in a part of the transport mechanism 11 and reads a barcode from the tray T on the transport mechanism 11. Since the type of the part P is determined in the course of transporting the tray T in this way, the type of the part P can be determined before the robot R performs the part P take-out operation. For this reason, it is not necessary to provide additional time for the determination process of the type of component P, and the time required for the determination process can be shortened.

  In addition, in the component supply apparatus 40 shown in FIG. 6, the case where the rocking mechanism 12 which rocks the frame 121 with the cam 125 is provided is demonstrated. However, the configuration of the swing mechanism 12 is not limited to this, and can be changed as appropriate. For example, the frame body 121 may be swung by a link mechanism.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a component supply device 50 according to a modification of the first embodiment. In the component supply apparatus 50 shown in FIG. 7, the same reference numerals are given to the components having the same functions as those of the component supply apparatus 40 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the component supply device 50 is different from the component supply device 40 shown in FIG. 6 in that the swing mechanism 12 has a link mechanism 126.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a link mechanism 126 is provided on the lower side in the vicinity of the rear end portion of the frame 121 constituting the swing mechanism 12. The link mechanism 126 is configured by connecting a pair of links 126a and 126b having a linear shape by a joint portion 126c. A free end of the link 126a disposed on the upper side is fixed to a connecting portion 121a disposed in the vicinity of the rear end portion of the frame body 121. On the other hand, the fixed end of the link 126b disposed on the lower side is fixed to a part of the component storage shelf S. The joint 126c is connected to the tip of the movable shaft of the direct acting actuator DA. Although not shown, the linear actuator DA is rotatably fixed by an axis orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG. 6 provided in a part of the component storage shelf S.

  The supply operation of the component P in the component supply device 50 having such a configuration is common to the component supply device 40 shown in FIG. 6 except that the drive amount from the angle adjustment unit 132 is output to the direct acting actuator DA. It is. In the component supply device 50, the drive amount of the direct acting actuator DA corresponding to the optimum angle of the frame body 121 is calculated by the angle adjusting unit 132 and output to the direct acting actuator DA. The direct acting actuator DA drives the link mechanism 126 according to the drive amount instructed from the angle adjustment unit 132. More specifically, the joint part 126c of the link mechanism 126 is driven in the front-rear direction. As the joint 126c is driven, the angle between the link 126a and the link 126b is changed, and the frame body 121 swings according to this angle. As a result, the tray T on the frame 121 is adjusted to an angle such that the component P to be taken out approaches the robot R.

  Even when the swing mechanism 12 includes the link mechanism 126 as described above, the swing mechanism 12 causes the component to be removed at the position P for picking up the component P by the robot R, similarly to the component supply device 40 according to the first embodiment. The angle of the tray T is adjusted so that the position of P approaches the robot R. Thereby, the amount of movement of the robot or the like when taking out the parts from the tray T can be shortened. As a result, it is possible to shorten the work time when the robot R takes out the component P from the tray T, and to shorten the tact time for each component P.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a component supply device 60 according to the second embodiment. The component supply device 60 according to the second embodiment is a component according to the first embodiment in that all the components P are taken out and the tray T which is empty is discharged from the device main body by the discharge mechanism 15. Different from the supply device 40.

  As shown in FIG. 8, in the component supply device 60, the angle of the frame body 121 is adjusted so that the tray T emptied by the swing mechanism 12 moves to the discharge path of the discharge mechanism 15. For this reason, the swing mechanism 12 has a configuration different from that of the component supply device 40 according to the first embodiment.

  In the swing mechanism 12 of the component supply device 60, the rotation shaft 123 is provided at the front end portion of the frame body 121. Therefore, the frame body 121 is configured such that the entire frame body 121 can swing around the rotation shaft 123 as a rotation fulcrum. Further, the cam 125 for swinging the frame 121 adjusts the angle of the tray T so that the component P on the tray T approaches the robot R side, similarly to the component supply device 40 according to the first embodiment. In addition to the adjustment, the frame body 121 is adjusted to have the same angle as the angle of the frame body 151 of the discharge mechanism 15. For example, the cam 125 is connected to an elevating mechanism (not shown), and moves to the lower side of the tray T when the tray T is ejected to adjust the frame body 121 to be the same angle as the angle of the frame body 151 of the ejection mechanism. Of course, by appropriately designing the cam 125 and the rotating shaft 125a, the frame 121 can be adjusted to the same angle as the angle of the frame 151 of the discharge mechanism without using the lifting mechanism.

  Further, a passage sensor 153 that detects the passage of the tray T is provided in the vicinity of the rear end portion of the frame 151 constituting the discharge mechanism 15. For example, the passage sensor 153 includes an optical sensor having a light emitting element and a light receiving element that are arranged to face each other. While the light from the light emitting element is received by the light receiving element, the passage of the tray T is detected by detecting that the light is blocked by the tray T.

  Next, the supply operation of the component P in the component supply apparatus 60 having such a configuration will be described. The supply operation of the component P in the component supply device 60 is common to the component supply device 40 according to the first embodiment except that the empty tray T is discharged by the discharge mechanism 15.

  In the component supply device 60, when it is determined that the component P does not exist on the tray T based on the determination result of the position determination unit 134, the angle adjustment unit 132 causes the lifting mechanism (not shown) to lower the cam 125 by a certain distance. Is output. As a result, the cam 125 is lowered by a certain distance. In parallel with this, the angle adjustment unit 132 calculates a drive amount corresponding to the angle at which the tray T moves to the discharge path of the discharge mechanism 15, and outputs it to the drive motor M. The angle of the frame 121 is adjusted by the cam 125 rotating as the drive motor M is driven according to the drive amount. At this time, the tray T on the frame body 121 is adjusted to an angle that moves to the discharge path of the discharge mechanism 15.

  By adjusting the angle of the frame body 121, the empty tray T on the frame body 121 is conveyed onto the discharge path by the discharge mechanism 15 by its own weight. The tray T is accommodated in a tray collection case. When the passage sensor 153 detects the passage of the tray T while being transported on the discharge path, a passage detection signal is output to the control device 13. When this passage detection signal is received, the angle adjustment unit 132 outputs an ascending signal that raises the cam 125 by a certain distance to an elevating mechanism (not shown). As a result, the cam 125 rises by a certain distance. In parallel with this, the angle adjustment unit 132 calculates a drive amount corresponding to the angle at which the frame body 121 is returned to the initial position (position shown in FIG. 8), and outputs it to the drive motor M. As the drive motor M is driven, the cam 125 rotates to return the frame body 121 to the initial position.

  After the frame body 121 returns to the initial position, an area on the swing mechanism 12 is imaged in accordance with an instruction from the position determination unit 134, as in the component supply device 40 according to the first embodiment. Based on the captured image data, the position determination unit 134 determines the position of the component P in the tray T. Then, the optimum angle of the frame body 121 corresponding to the determined position of the component P is read, and a drive amount corresponding to the angle is output to the drive motor M. Then, the cam 125 rotates as the drive motor M is driven, so that the angle of the frame body 121 is adjusted.

  As described above, in the component supply device 60 according to the second embodiment, the swing mechanism 12 causes the component P to be taken out by the robot R at the take-out position PP as in the component supply device 40 according to the first embodiment. The angle of the tray T is adjusted so that the position of the component P approaches the robot R. For this reason, the distance between the component P arranged on the tray T and the robot R can be shortened. Thereby, the amount of movement of the robot or the like when taking out the parts from the tray T can be shortened. As a result, it is possible to shorten the work time when the robot R takes out the component P from the tray T, and to shorten the tact time for each component P.

  In the component supply device 60, when all the components P are taken out, the angle of the frame body 121 is adjusted to an angle at which the tray T moves to the discharge path by the angle adjusting unit 132. For this reason, it is not necessary to prepare the structure for conveying tray T in the discharge mechanism 15 separately. Thereby, the structure of the components supply apparatus 60 can be simplified.

  In addition, in the component supply apparatus 60 shown in FIG. 8, the case where the rocking | fluctuation mechanism 12 which rocks the frame 121 with cam 125 single-piece | unit is demonstrated is demonstrated. However, the configuration of the swing mechanism 12 is not limited to this, and can be changed as appropriate. For example, the frame 121 may be configured to swing by a cam mechanism in which a cam and a cam follower are combined.

  FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a component supply device 70 according to a modification of the second embodiment. In the component supply device 70 shown in FIG. 9, the same reference numerals are given to components having the same functions as those of the component supply device 60 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9, the component supply device 70 is different from the component supply device 60 shown in FIG. 8 in that the swing mechanism 12 includes a cam mechanism 127 in which a cam 127a and a cam follower 127b are combined.

  As shown in FIG. 9, a cam mechanism 127 is provided on the lower side in the vicinity of the rear end portion of the frame 121 constituting the swing mechanism 12. The cam mechanism 127 includes a cam 127a having a plurality of step portions and a cam follower 127b that moves along the upper surface of the cam upper 127a. The cam follower 127b is fixed to a connecting portion 121b disposed in the vicinity of the rear end portion of the frame body 121 via a support member 127c having a linear shape extending in the vertical direction. The tip of the movable shaft of the linear actuator DA is connected to the rear end of the cam 127a. A stopper 127d that prevents the support member 2c from collapsing when the cam 127a moves back and forth is provided before and after the support member 127c.

  The supply operation of the component P in the component supply device 70 having such a configuration is common to the component supply device 60 shown in FIG. 8 except that the drive amount from the angle adjustment unit 132 is output to the direct acting actuator DA. It is. In the component supply device 70, the angle adjustment unit 132 calculates the drive amount of the direct acting actuator DA corresponding to the optimum angle of the frame body 121 and outputs it to the direct acting actuator DA. The direct acting actuator DA drives the cam 127a in the front-rear direction according to the drive amount instructed from the angle adjustment unit 132. As the cam 127a is driven, the cam follower 127b moves on the upper surface of the cam 127a, and the frame body 121 swings according to the position of the cam 127a. Thereby, the tray T on the frame body 121 is adjusted to an angle at which the component P to be taken out approaches the robot R, and is adjusted to an angle at which it moves to the discharge path of the discharge mechanism 15.

  Even when the swing mechanism 12 is provided with the cam mechanism 127 as described above, when all the parts P are taken out, similarly to the part supply device 60 according to the second embodiment, the discharge path by the angle adjusting unit 132 is performed. The angle of the frame body 121 is adjusted to the angle at which the tray T moves. For this reason, it is not necessary to prepare the structure for conveying tray T in the discharge mechanism 15 separately. Thereby, the structure of the components supply apparatus 10 can be simplified.

  As described above, in the component supply apparatus according to the present embodiment, the tray T on which the component P is arranged is transported to the robot R or an operator's pick-up position PP, and the position of the component P is the robot R. The angle of the tray T arranged at the take-out position PP is adjusted so as to be close to each other. According to this configuration, since the angle of the tray T is adjusted so that the position of the component P approaches the robot R or the like at the take-out position PP, the interval between the component P arranged on the tray T and the robot R or the like is adjusted. Can be shortened. Thereby, the movement amount of the robot R etc. when taking out the component P from the tray T can be shortened. As a result, it is possible to shorten the work time when the part P is taken out from the tray T by the robot R or the like, and it is possible to shorten the tact time for each part P and improve the production efficiency of the entire production line.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the case where this invention is embodied in the component supply apparatus is demonstrated. The present invention is realized as a robot system including any one of the above-described component supply devices and a robot R that extracts the component P from the tray T disposed at the take-out position PP in these component supply devices. According to this robot system, by providing any of the above-described component supply devices, it is possible to shorten the work time when taking out the component P from the tray T by the robot R or the like, and to shorten the tact time for each component P. Thus, the production efficiency of the entire production line can be improved.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can implement variously. In the above-described embodiment, the size, shape, and the like illustrated in the accompanying drawings are not limited thereto, and can be appropriately changed within a range in which the effect of the present invention is exhibited. In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the object of the present invention.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the tray T is transported by its own weight in the transport mechanism 11 and the discharge mechanism 15 is described. However, the transport mode of the tray T in the transport mechanism 11 or the like is not limited to this, and can be changed as appropriate. For example, you may make it apply the conveyance mechanism 11 and the discharge mechanism 15 which convey tray T electrically.

10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 Parts supply device 11 Conveying mechanism 111 Frame body 112 Guide roller 113 Reading device 113a Bar code reader 12 Oscillating mechanism 121 Frame body 122 Guide roller 123 Rotating shaft 124 Support wall portion 125 Cam 126 Link mechanism 127 Cam mechanism 13 Control device 131 Storage unit 132 Angle adjustment unit 133 Type determination unit 134 Position determination unit 14 Operation panel 15 Discharge mechanism 151 Frame body 152 Guide roller 153 Passage sensor AR1 to AR3 area M Drive motor P Parts PP Take-out position R Robot R1 Control unit S Component storage shelf T Tray

Claims (11)

  A component supply apparatus for supplying parts to a robot or worker working on a production line, wherein a conveying unit that conveys a tray on which the components are arranged to an extraction position of the component by the robot or an operator; Tray angle adjusting means for adjusting the angle of the tray disposed at the take-out position so that the position approaches the robot or the operator, and a component supply device comprising:   The apparatus further comprises a type determining unit that determines the type of the component, and the tray angle adjusting unit adjusts the angle of the tray according to the type of the component determined by the type determining unit. The component supply apparatus according to 1.   The component supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the type determining unit determines the type of the component by determining identification information given to the tray.   4. The component supply apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the type determination unit determines identification information given to the tray during a transfer process in the transfer unit.   The said tray angle adjustment means adjusts the angle of the said tray according to the holding | maintenance form of the said component in the said tray, The component supply apparatus in any one of Claims 1-4 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The position determination means for determining the position of the component is further provided, wherein the tray angle adjustment means adjusts the angle of the tray according to the position of the component determined by the position determination means. The component supply apparatus according to claim 1.   The position determination unit is configured by an imaging unit that images the tray disposed at the take-out position, and the tray angle adjustment unit adjusts the angle of the tray at the time of imaging by the imaging unit. The component supply apparatus according to claim 6.   The position determination means determines the position of the part that is the next work target after the part is taken out by the robot or an operator, and the tray angle adjustment means works on the part by the robot or an operator. 8. The component supply apparatus according to claim 6, wherein an angle of the tray is adjusted.   The tray further includes discharge means for discharging the tray from its main body by its own weight, and the tray angle adjusting means adjusts the angle of the tray to an angle at which the tray moves to a discharge path by the discharge means. The component supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8.   A robot system comprising: the component supply device according to claim 1; and a robot that extracts the component from the tray disposed at the extraction position in the component supply device. .   A part supply method for supplying parts to a robot or worker working on a production line, wherein a transport step of transporting a tray on which the parts are arranged to a picking position of the parts by the robot or an operator; A tray angle adjusting step of adjusting an angle of the tray arranged at the take-out position so that the position approaches the robot or an operator.

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