JP2020158260A - Arrangement method and arrangement device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide new techniques for making orientations of workpieces uniform.SOLUTION: Orientations of workpieces are made uniform by rotation by floating the workpieces from a conveying member using magnetic force.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for aligning and aligning the directions of fine workpieces such as parts.

Several means for aligning the work orientation have been proposed so far.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vibrating parts feeder, and the vibrating parts feeder carries a multilayer ceramic chip capacitor which is a ferromagnet. The vibrating parts feeder has a bowl made of a non-magnetic material, and the central portion of the bowl is a dish portion that houses the monolithic ceramic chip capacitor as a part to be conveyed in a loose state. On the inner circumference of the bowl, a parts transport path extending from the dish portion in a spiral shape is formed. Due to vibration, the monolithic ceramic chip capacitor enters the component transport path from the dish and rises in a spiral shape. A linear feeder is connected to the component delivery port of the component transport path to linearly transport the aligned multilayer ceramic chip capacitors.

In this vibrating parts feeder, the magnetic field generating means are arranged on the outer side surface of the bowl by a predetermined distance, and the magnetic field is applied to the moving multilayer ceramic chip capacitor. here,

Since the magnetic field lines from the magnetic field generating means magnetic poles are applied in the horizontal direction to the laminated ceramic chip capacitor like the dotted lines, the planar internal electrodes formed in multiple layers in the laminated state inside the capacitor are stable in the horizontal state. .. In other words, if the internal electrode surface of the moving multilayer ceramic chip capacitor is horizontal, it will pass as it is, but if the internal electrode surface is vertical, the posture is changed so that the internal electrode surface is horizontal and transported. Will be done.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-217136

Even if the postures are aligned according to the direction of the electrodes as in Patent Document 1, it is not possible to align the front and back of a work having both sides, and a new technique is required.

The following technologies can be mentioned as means for solving the problems.

(1) A magnetic roll that rotates about a rotation axis and has a plurality of magnetic force generating portions that are intermittently provided in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis.
An inverted transport path that guides the work to the magnetic field of the magnetic force generating part,
A sorting unit that selects face-down workpieces and sends them to the reversing transport path,
A detachable part that is attracted to the magnetic roll and removes the work whose front and back sides are inverted from the magnetic roll.
Alignment device with.

(2) The aligning device according to (1) above, wherein the detachable portion is a scraper that abuts on the surface of the magnetic roll.

(3) A rotary table that conveys the work by rotating with the work on it, and
A determination unit that determines the front and back of the work on the rotary table, and
With more
The magnetic roll is placed above the turntable and
The reversing transport path includes a region on the turntable facing the magnetic roll.
The sorting unit sorts the work determined to be face down by the determination unit from the work determined to be face up.
The aligning device according to (1) above.

(4) A method of aligning the front and back of a work by using a magnetic roll that rotates around a rotation axis and has a plurality of magnetic force generating portions intermittently provided in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis.
The process of sorting face-down workpieces,
A step of attracting the selected work to a magnetic roll having a plurality of magnetic force generating portions intermittently provided in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis.
An alignment method comprising a step of inverting the work by rotating the magnetic roll and a step of removing the work turned upside down from the magnetic roll by inverting.

According to the present invention, the work can be lifted from the transport path by a rotating magnetic roll and turned upside down.

It is a side view and the top view which show an example of a work. It is a top view which shows an example of the alignment apparatus. (A) and (b) are diagrams showing the attitude control by the regulated ceiling. (A) is a figure which shows the reversing device of a work using magnetic force.

[work]
The work is magnetic. An example of the shape of the work is shown in FIG. The work W in FIG. 1 has a cylindrical shape. That is, the work W is annular in a plan view. However, the work W has different shapes on the front and back sides of the work W at one end and the other end in the height direction. The front edge of the work W is uneven, and the back edge is smooth. Hereinafter, the state in which the uneven surface (front surface) is facing up is referred to as facing up, and the state in which the smooth surface (back surface) is facing up is referred to as facing down. Further, the direction in which the front or back facing work W is rotated by 90 ° from the vertical direction and the vertical direction and the side surface of the cylinder comes into contact with the rotary table 20 described later is referred to as a horizontal direction. That is, in the vertical direction, the radial direction is along the surface direction of the rotary table 20 (that is, the horizontal direction), and in the horizontal direction, the radial direction is perpendicular to the surface direction of the rotary table 20.

In the present embodiment, the width (annular diameter) R of the work W is larger than the height H.

In this example, the annular member is taken as an example, but the present invention can be applied not only to the annular member but also to a workpiece having another shape as long as the member has a distinction between the front and the back. For example, the reversing device 30 described later can be used even when the front and back cannot be distinguished on the outer shape but the patterns are different.

[Aligning device]
FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the alignment device 2. The alignment device 2 of FIG. 2 includes a rotary table 20, and is provided with a supply slope 21, a first outer alignment guide 22, a regulated ceiling 23, an inner alignment guide 24, and a second outer alignment guide 25 along the rotation direction of the rotary table 20. , An image sensor 26, a sorting device (sorting unit) 27, an alignment guide 28, a linear feeder 29, and a reversing device 30 (work rollover prevention cover 30a, magnetic roll 30b, scraper 30c). For convenience of illustration, dot hatching is attached to the rotary table 20, the supply slope 21, and the linear feeder 29 through which the work W can pass. In addition, the traveling direction of the work is indicated by a thick arrow with diagonal hatching.

The rotary table 20 is a flat disk-shaped member, and is rotated in the direction of the black arrow (counterclockwise in FIG. 2) around the rotation axis by a drive unit such as a motor (not shown) with the workpiece mounted on the rotary table 20. The work moves by this rotation. In addition to the rotary table, a member such as a belt can be applied as a transport member.

Hereinafter, the "outside" of the rotary table refers to the circumferential side of the rotary table 20, and the "inside" refers to the central side of the rotary table 20.

The rotary table is an example of a transport member that transports the work by moving the work while the work is placed on the rotary table. Alternatively, a belt-shaped transport member may be applied.

The supply slope 21 is a downward slope from the hopper outside the rotary table 20 to the top of the rotary table 20. The work W supplied from the hopper (not shown) goes down the supply slope 21 and reaches the vicinity of the first outward guide 22 of the rotary table 20 and upstream in the rotation direction.

The first outward guide 22 is a guide extending from the inside to the outside of the rotary table 20. Due to the rotation of the rotary table 20, the work W comes into contact with the side surface of the first outward guide 20 and is pushed out of the rotary table 20.

The regulated ceiling 23 has two roles: attitude control for making the horizontal work vertical, and sorting for the vertical work and the horizontal work. As shown in FIG. 3, the regulated ceiling 23 has a height H (maximum height when the height is not constant) or more and a width R (shortest width when the width is not constant) from the upper surface of the rotary table 20. Is provided at a distance of less than (preferably). Of the work W guided by the first external guide 22, the horizontal work hits the regulated ceiling 23 and rotates 90 ° to become vertical (FIGS. 3A and 3B). The work, which was originally oriented vertically, passes under the regulated ceiling 23 as it is. Although the vertically oriented work is drawn face down in FIG. 3, it may pass through the regulated ceiling 23 face up.

The aligning device 2 further has a work reservoir 32. The work reservoir 32 is a wall provided at the tip of the regulated ceiling 23 in the longitudinal direction so as to block the work W. The work that could not pass through the regulated ceiling 23, that is, the sideways work, moves along the longitudinal direction of the regulated ceiling 23 and reaches the work reservoir 32.

Instead of accumulating the lateral work, it may be conveyed to the reversing device 30, and the work rollover prevention cover 30a described later may try to rotate 90 ° again. Here, the vertically oriented work is reversed on both sides, and the alignment operation on the second lap is started, where the front and back determination can be received.

It is possible that two workpieces overlap each other and become a clinch state, but when the work reservoir 32 is provided, the workpieces in the clinch state are also accumulated without proceeding to the reversing operation. On the other hand, in the reversing device 30 described later without providing the work reservoir 32, the work rollover prevention cover 30a is not attached, or the clinched work is allowed to pass through, and the clinching is released by the magnetic roll 30b. May be good.

Further, in addition to the above description, the work in the sideways or clinched state may be excluded from the alignment device.

On the other hand, in the path of the vertically oriented work that has passed under the regulated ceiling 23, the inwardly aligned guide 24 is arranged so as to cross the path of the work. The work W comes into contact with the inwardly aligned guide 24 and moves along the longitudinal direction of the inwardly aligned guide 24 to line up in a row.

The second outward guide 25 is located at the point where the work W is guided by the inward guide 24, and guides the work W to the detection position by the image sensor 26.

The image sensor 26 acquires image information of the work and outputs it to a control device (not shown). The control device determines the front and back of the work by comparing the image with a known face-up work. The control device controls the sorting device 27 based on the determination. “H” is attached to the work determined to be face up, and “t” is attached to the work determined to be face down in FIG.

The sorting device 27 guides the alignment guide 28 by passing the face-up work as it is, while removing the back-facing work from the row by moving it inward of the rotary table 20 and leading it to the reversing device 30. The sorting device may control the traveling direction of the work by blowing air on the work, or may include a mechanism for controlling the traveling direction of the work by contacting the work like a barrier. In FIG. 2, an air blowing mechanism is applied as the sorting device 27, and although no reference numerals are given, a guide member that limits the movement of the work so as not to move too much by air and guides the work to the reversing device 30 is further provided. It is provided.

The face-up workpieces are guided to the linear feeder 29 in a row by the alignment guide 28, and are conveyed to the outside of the alignment device 2.

On the other hand, the face-down work is turned upside down by 180 ° by the reversing device 30 as described later. The work thus turned up passes under the supply slope 21, passes through the members after the regulated ceiling 23, and is finally conveyed to the outside of the alignment device 2 by the linear feeder 29.

[Reversing device]
As shown in FIG. 4, the reversing device 30 includes a work rollover prevention cover 30a, a magnetic roll 30b, and a scraper 30c. Further, the reversing device 30 has a driving unit for rotating the magnetic roll 30b (not shown).

The magnetic roll 30b is adapted to rotate about a rotation axis, and has a plurality of magnetic force generating portions intermittently provided in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis. Specifically, the magnetic roll 30b includes a cylindrical rotating body 30d. The axis of rotation passes through the center of the cylinder of the rotating body 30d and is parallel to the height direction. Further, the magnetic roll 30b has a plurality of magnets 30e fixed to the side surface of the rotating body 30d and parallel to the height direction of the cylinder of the rotating body 30d as the magnetic force generating portion. A gap is provided between the magnets 30e. The magnetic roll 30b has an exterior sheet that encloses the rotating body 30d and the entire magnet 30e. As a result, the entire magnetic roll 30b is formed in a columnar shape.

The length of the magnet 30e in the rotation axis direction, the width in the circumferential direction, and the interval in the circumferential direction of the magnetic roll 30b may be set to such that the vertical work can be lifted. For example, the sum of the widths of the two magnets 30e and the width of the gap between them is the width R of the work W (the longest width if the width is not constant) in a posture in which the work can be faced down with respect to the magnetic roll 30b. It is preferable that it is more than or equal to. With this configuration, the work W is stably adsorbed. Further, the width of the gap between the magnets is preferably less than the width R of the work W (preferably the shortest width when the width is not constant) in a possible posture of the work. Further, the width of the magnet 30e is preferably less than the width R of the work W (preferably the shortest width when the width is not constant) with respect to the possible posture of the work.

The magnetic roll 30b is provided above the rotary table 20 at a distance of work height H (maximum height if the height is not constant) or more from the upper surface of the rotary table 20. Further, the distance between the magnetic roll 30b and the rotary table 20 is preferably less than the work width R (preferably the shortest width when the width is not constant) in a possible posture of the work.

The posture that the back-facing work can take with respect to the magnetic roll 30b is a mechanism that aligns the longitudinal direction of the vertical work in front of the reversing device 30 so as to be parallel to the rotation axis of the magnetic roll 30b, or a rotation axis. It can be restricted by providing a mechanism for aligning the magnets so as to be perpendicular to the magnet.

In this embodiment, the transport direction by the rotary table 20 is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the magnetic roll 30 directly below the magnetic roll 30. Further, the rotation direction of the magnetic roll 30 is the lower part of the magnetic roll 30 and is opposite to the transport direction by the rotary table 20.

The work rollover prevention cover 30a is a plate-shaped member made of a non-magnetic material such as resin, and is curved along the side surface of the magnetic roll 30b. The work rollover prevention cover 30a is arranged so as to cover a part of the side surface of the magnetic roll 30b at a predetermined distance from the upper surface of the magnetic roll 30b and the rotary table 20. The lower region of the magnetic roll 30b is exposed without being covered by the work rollover prevention cover 30a over a width sufficient to attract the work W.

The distance between the work rollover prevention cover 30a and the magnetic roll 30b is set so as not to hinder the movement of the work W whose back surface is attracted to the magnetic roll. Further, this distance is preferably small so that the work W cannot roll over.

The distance between the work rollover prevention cover 30a and the rotary table 20 is equal to or greater than the height H of the work W (the maximum height when the height is not constant). Further, this distance is preferably less than the width R of the work W (preferably the shortest width when the width is not constant).

When the face-down work is conveyed in the vicinity of the rotating magnetic roll 30b, the work rollover prevention cover 30a suppresses the suction of the side surface of the work W to the magnetic roll 30b. The work W passes under the work rollover prevention cover 30a and reaches below the magnetic roll 30b. The work is attracted to the magnetic roll 30b and lifted.

In this way, the work moves with the rotation of the magnetic roll 30b while the back surface of the work is in contact with the magnetic roll 30b. During this movement, the work rollover prevention cover 30a prevents the work from rolling over.

The scraper 30c is an example of a detachable portion. In addition to this, if the configuration is such that the magnetic roll 30b can be kept face up and the work can be separated, it is appropriately adopted. The scraper 30c is a plate-shaped member made of a non-magnetic material, for example, a resin.

In the vertical direction, the apex of the magnetic roll 30b is 180 °, the position directly below is 0 °, and the angle increases along the rotation direction. That is, in this embodiment, the work W is attracted at the 0 ° position of the magnetic roll 30b, the position where the work rotates 90 ° is the 90 ° position of the magnetic roll 30b, and the front and back of the work are reversed. Is the 180 ° position of the magnetic roll 30b. The scraper 30c is arranged so as to contact the magnetic roll 30b at the apex, that is, downstream of 180 ° and upstream of 270 °. The scraper 30c forms a slope from the magnetic roll 30b to the turntable 20. The slope formed by the scraper 30c is set so that the angle between the upper surface of the rotary table 20 downstream of the scraper 30c and the upper surface of the scraper 30c is obtuse along the rotation direction of the rotary table 20.

The work attracted to the magnetic roll 30b and inverted by its rotation is peeled off from the magnetic roll 30b by the scraper 30c and returned to the rotary table 20 in a face-up state.

As is clear from the above description, the reversing transfer path for guiding the work to the magnetic field of the magnetic force generating portion is a region on the rotary table 20 from the sorting device 27 to the reversing device 30. Further, the sorting unit that selects the back-facing work and sends it to the reversing transport path is a sorting device 27 and a control device (not shown), and the determination unit that determines the front and back of the work is an image sensor 26 and a control device (not shown).

Further, the sorting device 27 and the control device perform a step of selecting the face-down workpieces, and the reversing device 30 generates a plurality of magnetic forces intermittently provided on the sorted face-down workpieces in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis. A step of attracting to a magnetic roll having a portion, a step of inverting the work by rotating the magnetic roll, and a step of removing the work turned upside down by inverting from the magnetic roll are executed.

Since the front and back sides of the work can be aligned, the present invention can be used for inspecting the work and efficiently advancing other work using the work.

W Work H Work height R Work width 2 Alignment device 20 Rotating table 21 Supply slope 22 1st outer alignment guide 23 Restricted ceiling 24 Inward alignment guide 25 2nd outer alignment guide 26 Image sensor 27 Sorting device 28 Alignment guide 29 Linear feeder 30 Reversing device 30a Work roll prevention cover 30b Magnetic roll 30c Scraper 30d Rotating body 30e Magnet 32 Work reservoir

Claims (4)

A magnetic roll that rotates around a rotation axis and has a plurality of magnetic force generating parts that are intermittently provided in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis.
An inverted transport path that guides the work to the magnetic field of the magnetic force generating part,
A sorting unit that selects face-down workpieces and sends them to the reversing transport path,
A detachable part that is attracted to the magnetic roll and removes the work whose front and back sides are inverted from the magnetic roll.
Alignment device with. The alignment device according to claim 1, wherein the detachable portion is a scraper that abuts on the surface of the magnetic roll. A rotary table that conveys the work by rotating it with the work on it,
A determination unit that determines the front and back of the work on the rotary table, and
With more
The magnetic roll is placed above the turntable and
The reversing transport path includes a region on the turntable facing the magnetic roll.
The sorting unit sorts the work determined to be face down by the determination unit from the work determined to be face up.
The alignment device according to claim 1. A method of aligning the front and back of a work by using a magnetic roll that rotates about a rotation axis and has a plurality of magnetic force generating portions intermittently provided in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis.
The process of sorting face-down workpieces,
A step of attracting the selected work to a magnetic roll having a plurality of magnetic force generating portions intermittently provided in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis.
An alignment method comprising a step of inverting the work by rotating the magnetic roll and a step of removing the work turned upside down from the magnetic roll by inverting.