JP2021187654A - Conveyance device and conveyance method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a conveyance device and a conveyance method capable of conveying objects to be conveyed in a state where intervals between the objects to be conveyed in a conveyance direction are equalized.SOLUTION: A conveyance device EA comprises: conveyance means 10 for conveying an object WK to be conveyed in a prescribed conveyance direction TD; and positioning means 20 for positioning the object WK to be conveyed. The positioning means 20 comprises interval adjustment means 21 for relatively moving sandwiching members 14A, 21F to sandwich the object WK to be conveyed from the front side in the conveyance direction and the rear side in the conveyance direction, and equalizing intervals between the objects WK to be conveyed in the conveyance direction TD.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a transport device and a transport method.

A transport device for transporting an object to be transported in a predetermined transport direction is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 3-138210

Regarding the positioning of the container 1 (the object to be transported) in the transfer device (transport device) described in Patent Document 1, since the transfer piece 12 (positioning means) is simply pressed against the object to be transported from the rear in the transport direction, the transfer piece 12 (positioning means) is simply pressed against the object to be transported. There is no restriction on the movement of objects forward in the transport direction. Therefore, there is an inconvenience that the transported object is transported in a state where the intervals in the transport direction of the transported object are unequal.

An object of the present invention is to provide a transport device and a transport method capable of transporting a transported object in a state where the transported objects are spaced at equal intervals in the transport direction.

The present invention has adopted the configuration described in the claims.

According to the present invention, the sandwiching member is relatively moved to sandwich the object to be transported from the front in the transport direction and the rear in the transport direction. Can be done.

Explanatory drawing of the transfer apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis in the present embodiment are orthogonal to each other, the X-axis and the Y-axis are axes in a predetermined plane, and the Z-axis is an axis orthogonal to the predetermined plane. do. Further, in the present embodiment, when viewed from the front direction of FIG. 1 (B) parallel to the Y axis, when the direction is shown, "up" is the arrow direction of the Z axis and "down" is the opposite. The direction, "left" is the direction of the arrow on the X-axis, "right" is the opposite direction, "front" is the direction of the arrow on the Y-axis, and "rear" is the opposite direction.

The transport device EA of the present invention includes a transport means 10 for transporting the transported object WK in a predetermined transport direction TD, and a positioning means 20 for positioning the transported object WK, and is arranged in the vicinity of the supply device 30. .. In the object to be transported WK of the present embodiment, the cap member WK2 is attached to the tapered neck portion WK1.

The transport means 10 is paired with a rotary motor 11 as a drive device, three first drive pulleys 12 supported by the output shaft 11A of the rotary motor 11 so as not to rotate freely, and a first drive pulley 12. The three first driven pulleys 13 provided above, and the three first driven pulleys 12 and the first driven pulleys 13 are supported by a plurality of boosting members 14A at predetermined intervals of ED. It includes one belt 14 and a ball roller conveyor 15 that supports the object to be transported WK with a plurality of freely rotating balls 15A.

The positioning means 20 relatively moves the positioning member 21F and the boosting member 14A as the sandwiching member to sandwich the object to be transported WK from the front in the transport direction and the rear in the transport direction, and the intervals in the transport direction TD of the object to be transported WK are evenly spaced. The interval adjusting means 21 is provided, and the positioning means 22 for aligning the positions of the objects to be transported WK in the orthogonal direction RD orthogonal to the transport direction TD is provided.
The interval adjusting means 21 includes a boosting member 14A shared with the transport means 10, a rotary motor 21A as a drive device, and two second drive pulleys that are non-freely supported by the output shaft 21B of the rotary motor 21A. Two second driven pulleys 21D, which are provided in pairs with the 21C and the second drive pulley 21C and are freely rotatably supported by the output shaft 11A of the rotary motor 11, the second drive pulley 21C and the second drive pulley 21C. It is provided with three second belts 21E that are hung around the driven pulley 21D and supported by a plurality of positioning members 21F at predetermined intervals ED. Each of the first driven pulleys 13 is supported by the output shaft 21B of the rotary motor 21A so as to be freely rotatable.
The alignment means 22 includes two guide members 22A arranged side by side in the vertical direction. The guide members 22A are separated from the ball roller conveyor 15 in a plan view looking down from above in the transport direction TD of the object to be transported WK, and are spaced apart from each other in a side view seen from the front side toward the right. A narrowing portion 22B and a parallel portion 22C extending in parallel with the transport direction TD from the calling portion 22B in a plan view are provided, and the spacing is wider than the vertical spacing of the neck portion WK1 and narrower than the vertical spacing of the cap member WK2. It is arranged in.

The supply device 30 includes a mounting table 31 and an air cylinder 32 as a drive device that supports the pusher 33 with the output shaft 32A.

The operation of the above transport device EA will be described.
First, with respect to the transport device EA in which each member is arranged at the initial position shown by the solid line in FIGS. 1 (A) and 1 (B), the user of the transport device EA (hereinafter, simply referred to as “user”) is illustrated. The width WKW in the left-right direction of the transported object WK is input to a control means (not shown) such as a personal computer or a sequencer, and a signal for starting automatic operation is input via an operation means such as an operation panel or a personal computer. Next, when a transfer means (not shown) such as a user or an articulated robot or a belt conveyor places the transported object WK on the mounting table 31 as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the supply device 30 Drives the air cylinder 32 and moves the pusher 33 to the left to supply the transported object WK to the transport device EA. At this time, the transported object WK is supplied to the transport device EA while the neck portion WK1 enters between the guide members 22A, is guided forward by the guide member 22A, and is positioned in the orthogonal direction RD (front-back direction). Orthogonal. After that, as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIGS. 1 (A) and 1 (B), when the transported object WK reaches a position where it can be transported by the boosting member 14A, the supply device 30 drives the air cylinder 32 and the pusher. The 33 is returned to the initial position.

Next, when the transporting means 10 drives the rotary motor 11 to rotate the first belt 14 in the counterclockwise rotation direction, the boosting member 14A moves the transported object WK in the transport direction as shown in FIG. 1 (C). After abutting on the rear end surface WKR, the object to be transported WK is transported in the transport direction TD (left side) as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in the figure. In addition, the "clockwise rotation direction" and the "counterclockwise rotation direction" in the present specification are all the rotation directions in the side view of the transfer device EA from the front side. Then, as shown in FIG. 1 (D), the distance between the boosting member 14A and the positioning member 21F is the same as the width WKW in the left-right direction of the object to be transported WK, and the positioning member 21F is in the transport direction of the object to be transported WK. Upon contact with the front end surface WKF, the positioning means 20 drives the rotation motor 21A to rotate the second belt 21E in the same direction as the first belt 14 at the same moving speed. As a result, the object to be transported WK is sandwiched between the positioning member 21F and the boosting member 14A from the front in the transport direction and the rear in the transport direction, and is transported in the transport direction TD in a state where the position in the transport direction TD is performed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1 (E), when the boosting member 14A moves by a predetermined interval ED, the transport means 10 stops driving the rotary motor 11 and stops the movement of the transported object WK in the transport direction TD. Let me. Even after this, the positioning means 20 continues to rotate the second belt 21E in the counterclockwise rotation direction as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 1 (E) without stopping the drive of the rotation motor 21A. As shown in FIG. 1 (F), when the positioning member 21F moves by a predetermined interval ED, the positioning means 20 stops driving the rotary motor 21A, and the same operation as described above is repeated thereafter. When the same operation as described above is repeated in this way, the object to be transported WK is transported to the transport direction TD in a state where the intervals in the transport direction TD are equal. An adhesive sheet (not shown) is attached to the WK to be conveyed as described above by a processing device (not shown) such as a known sheet affixing device or a known printing device, or a predetermined printing is performed. Predetermined processing is performed.

According to the above embodiment, the positioning member 21F and the boosting member 14A are relatively moved to sandwich the transported object WK from the front in the transport direction and the rear in the transport direction. The object to be transported WK can be transported in a state of being spaced apart.

As described above, the best configuration, method, etc. for carrying out the present invention are disclosed in the above description, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, although the present invention has been particularly illustrated and described primarily with respect to a particular embodiment, the shape, with respect to the embodiments described above, without departing from the scope of the technical idea and object of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications in terms of material, quantity, and other detailed configurations. Further, the description limiting the shape, material, etc. disclosed above is merely an example for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. Therefore, the shape, material, and the like are described above. The description in the name of the member excluding a part or all of the limitation such as is included in the present invention.

For example, the transport means 10 may intermittently feed the object to be transported WK, continuously feed the object to be transported, or replace or use the ball roller conveyor 15 with a cylindrical or columnar roller. The object to be transported WK may be supported by a support member such as a flat plate or a round bar, or one or two sets of a first drive pulley 12, a first driven pulley 13 and a first belt 14 may be provided. However, four or more sets may be provided, or the ball 15A, a cylindrical or cylindrical roller, or the like may be driven by a drive device to convey the object to be conveyed WK in the transfer direction TD, or the first belt may be provided. The transported object WK may be placed on the 14 to transport the transported object WK in the transport direction TD, and when the transported object WK is mounted on the first belt 14 to transport the transported object WK, a ball is used. The roller conveyor 15 and the support member may or may not be present, the ball 15A, the rollers, etc. may be driven by a driving device, or the transported object WK may be placed on the first belt 14 to be transported. When the WK is conveyed and the boosting member 14A is not shared with the positioning means 20, the boosting member 14A may be omitted.

The positioning means 20 may position the conveyed object WK in the conveying direction TD as follows. That is, when the object to be transported WK reaches a position where it can be transported by the boosting member 14A, the positioning means 20 and the positioning means 20 drive the rotary motors 11 and 21A, and the positioning member 21F drives the boosting member 14A. The first and second belts 14, 21E are rotated in the counterclockwise rotation direction so as to move at a faster speed. Next, when the positioning member 21F approaches the boosting member 14A that is boosting another object to be transported WK in the front in the transporting direction by a predetermined distance, the transporting means 10 and the positioning means 20 drive the rotary motors 11 and 21A for positioning. The member 21F and the boosting member 14A are moved at the same speed, and the transported object WK is conveyed without being sandwiched between the positioning member 21F and the boosting member 14A. After that, when the positioning member 21F and the boosting member 14A move by a predetermined interval ED, the driving of the rotation motors 11 and 21A is stopped to position the TD in the transport direction of the object to be transported WK.
When the object to be transported WK reaches a position where it can be transported by the boosting member 14A, the positioning means 20 and the positioning means 20 drive the rotary motors 11 and 21A, and the positioning member 21F is more than the boosting member 14A. When the first and second belts 14 and 21E are rotated in the counterclockwise rotation direction so as to move at a slow speed, and the object to be transported WK is sandwiched from the front in the transport direction and the rear in the transport direction by the positioning member 21F and the boosting member 14A. , The first and second belts 14 and 21E are rotated at the same speed in the counterclockwise rotation direction, and when the positioning member 21F and the boosting member 14A move by a predetermined interval ED, the driving of the rotation motors 11 and 21A is stopped. The TD in the transport direction of the object to be transported WK may be positioned.
When the object to be transported WK reaches a position where it can be transported by the boosting member 14A, the positioning means 20 and the positioning means 20 drive the rotation motors 11 and 21A to rotate the second belt 21E in the counterclockwise direction. When the first belt 14 is rotated in the clockwise direction and the object to be transported WK is sandwiched from the front in the transport direction and the rear in the transport direction by the positioning member 21F and the boosting member 14A, the first and second belts 14, 21E is rotated in the counterclockwise rotation direction at the same speed, and when the positioning member 21F and the boosting member 14A move by a predetermined interval ED, the driving of the rotation motors 11 and 21A is stopped to convey the object to be conveyed WK. TD positioning may be performed.
The positioning means 20 does not have to share the boosting member 14A with the transporting means 10, and employs an interval adjusting means for supporting the positioning member 21F with an articulated bot as a driving device or a slider of a linear motor as a driving device. The positioning member 21F and the boosting member 14A may sandwich the transported object WK from the front in the transport direction and the rear in the transport direction to position the transport direction TD of the transported object WK, or the second drive pulley 21C, One set of the second driven pulley 21D and the second belt 21E may be provided, three or more sets may be provided, pressure detecting means such as a pressure sensor and a regulator, and rotation motors 11 and 21A. A torque detecting means or the like for detecting torque is adopted as a positioning confirmation means, and when the pressure or torque for sandwiching the conveyed object WK between the boosting member 14A and the positioning member 21F reaches a predetermined value, the conveyed object WK is conveyed. Positioning of the directional TD may be completed.
The positioning means 20 may move the positioning member 21F and the boosting member 14A in a direction inclined with the transport direction TD to sandwich the object to be transported WK from the front in the transport direction and the rear in the transport direction, or may sandwich the positioning member 21F and the boost member 14A from the front in the transport direction and the rear in the transport direction. One may be moved in a direction parallel to the transport direction TD, and the other may be moved in a direction inclined with the transport direction TD to sandwich the object to be transported WK from the front in the transport direction and the rear in the transport direction.
The positioning means 20 may be positioned with the transport direction TD of the object to be transported WK within a range in which the intervals of the transport direction TD of the object to be transported WK can be made equal. For example, the positioning means 20 may be positioned with the boosting member 14A. When the distance from the member 21F becomes a desired distance wider than the width WKW in the left-right direction of the object to be transported WK, the positioning of the transport direction TD of the object to be transported WK may be completed, or the object to be transported may be completed. When the WK is deformable or the like, the positioning of the transport direction TD of the transported object WK may be completed when the interval becomes narrower than the width WKW in the left-right direction of the transported object WK.
The positioning member 21F and the boosting member 14A may or may not be aligned in the Y-axis direction in a state of being arranged at the initial position.
The alignment means 22 may be composed of either one of the upper or lower guide members 22A, or may not be separated from the ball roller conveyor 15 in a plan view toward the transport direction TD of the object to be transported WK. , A guide member 22A provided with a calling portion 22B approaching the ball roller conveyor 15 may be adopted, or a calling portion 22B is provided so that the mutual spacing does not widen toward the right in the side view. The guide member 22A may be adopted, or may be configured to abut the front side and the back side of the transported object WK so that the transported object WK is aligned in the orthogonal direction RD, or the cross-sectional view is circular, L-shaped, or The U-shaped guide member 22A may or may not be provided in the transport device EA of the present invention.

The supply device 30 may support the pusher 33 with a slider of an articulated robot as a drive device or a linear motor as a drive device to supply the object to be transported WK to the transfer device EA, or may supply the transfer device 30 of the present invention. The device EA may or may not be equipped, and if it is not provided, the transported object WK may be manually supplied to the EA.

In the transport device EA, the width WKW in the left-right direction of the transported object WK may be input to a control means (not shown in advance), an image pickup means such as a camera or a projector, or various sensors such as an optical sensor or an ultrasonic sensor. The configuration may be such that a detection means such as the above is adopted, and the width WKW in the left-right direction of the transported object WK is detected and input to a control means (not shown).
The object to be transported WK transported by the transport device EA may not be subjected to predetermined treatment by a processing device (not shown) or the like.

The means and processes in the present invention are not limited as long as they can perform the operations, functions or processes described for the means and processes, much less the constituents of the mere embodiment shown in the above-described embodiment. It is not limited to the process at all. For example, the transporting means may be any transporting means as long as it transports the object to be transported in a predetermined transport direction, and is limited as long as it is within the technical range in light of the common general technical knowledge at the time of filing. No (same for other means and processes).

The material, type, shape, etc. of the adhesive sheet and the WK to be transported are not particularly limited. For example, the adhesive sheet and the object to be conveyed WK may have a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a polygonal shape such as a triangle or a quadrangle, or any other shape, and the adhesive sheet may have an adhesive form such as pressure-sensitive adhesiveness or heat-sensitive adhesiveness. It may be one. Further, such an adhesive sheet has three or more layers, for example, a single layer having only an adhesive layer, a sheet having an intermediate layer between the base material and the adhesive layer, and a cover layer on the upper surface of the base material. Further, it may be something like a so-called double-sided adhesive sheet capable of peeling the base material from the adhesive layer. The WK to be transported includes, for example, foods, resin containers, semiconductor wafers such as silicon semiconductor wafers and compound semiconductor wafers, circuit boards, information recording boards such as optical disks, glass plates, steel plates, pottery, wood boards or resins. It may be a single object, or it may be a compound formed by two or more of them, and any form of a member, an article, or the like can be targeted. The adhesive sheet may be read in a functional and versatile manner, and may be any arbitrary label such as an information description label, a decorative label, a protective sheet, a dicing tape, a die attach film, a die bonding tape, and a recording layer forming resin sheet. It may be a sheet, a film, a tape, or the like.

The drive device in the above embodiment is an electric device such as a rotary motor, a linear motor, a linear motor, a single-axis robot, an articulated robot having two-axis or three-axis or more joints, an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, and a rodless. Actuators such as cylinders and rotary cylinders can be adopted, and those in which they are directly or indirectly combined can also be adopted.
In the above embodiment, when a rotating member such as a roller is adopted, a driving device for rotationally driving the rotating member may be provided, or the surface of the rotating member or the rotating member itself can be deformed by rubber, resin, or the like. It may be composed of a member, the surface of the rotating member or the rotating member itself may be composed of a member that does not deform, or another member such as a shaft or a blade that rotates or does not rotate may be adopted instead of the roller. May be good.

EA ... Conveying device 10 ... Conveying means 14A ... Boosting member (sandwiching member)
20 ... Positioning means 21 ... Interval adjusting means 21F ... Positioning member (sandwiching member)
TD ... Transport direction WK ... Object to be transported

Claims (2)

A transport means for transporting the object to be transported in a predetermined transport direction, and
A positioning means for positioning the object to be transported is provided.
The positioning means is provided with an interval adjusting means for moving the sandwiching member relative to each other to sandwich the object to be transported from the front in the transport direction and the rear in the transport direction so that the intervals in the transport direction of the objects to be transported are equal. Characteristic transfer device. A transport process that transports the object to be transported in a predetermined transport direction, and
Performing the positioning step of positioning the object to be transported,
The positioning step is characterized in that an interval adjusting step is performed in which the sandwiching member is relatively moved to sandwich the object to be transported from the front in the transport direction and the rear in the transport direction so that the intervals in the transport direction of the objects to be transported are equal. Transport method.

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