JP2022033587A - Workpiece conveyance device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a workpiece conveyance device which can supply and carry out a workpiece on a pair of rollers without being restricted in roller interval with respect to a centerless polishing device which mounts a workpiece on the pair of rollers and polishes the workpiece, for instance.SOLUTION: A workpiece conveyance device includes: a workpiece holding device; a horizontal moving device for moving the workpiece holding device in a horizontal direction; and a vertical moving device for moving the workpiece holding device in a vertical direction. The horizontal moving device has a horizontal moving section moving in the horizontal direction. The vertical moving device has a vertical moving section moving in the vertical direction. The workpiece holding device is integrated with the horizontal moving section or the vertical moving section, and has a sucker and makes a space formed by the inside of the sucker and a workpiece surface vacuum so as to be formed to hold the workpiece.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to, for example, a transfer device for supplying a work to a centerless polishing device or taking out a polished work.

The following devices have been proposed as devices for supplying a work to a centerless grinding device that grinds a columnar work.
The work supply device proposed in Patent Document 1 comprises two columnar rotating bodies that are substantially parallel in the horizontal direction and inclined in the vertical direction in opposite directions. A plurality of columnar workpieces having a small height are placed on the rotating body so that the bottom surfaces thereof are brought into close contact with each other so that the axis thereof is in the same direction as the axis of the rotating body. This work supply device supplies the work to the centerless grinding machine (grinding grindstone and adjusting wheel) by rotating the two rotating bodies in the same direction and at different peripheral speeds.

In the work unloading device proposed in Patent Document 2, a work storage cylinder is arranged in the vicinity of a centerless (centerless) grinding machine in which rollers are lined up in a substantially vertical direction, and the work is placed up and down with its axis horizontal. It is housed in layers. In the work unloading device, the hydraulic cylinder pushes out the work at the bottom of the work storage cylinder and advances it on the shoe mounting member, pushes out the machined work that is already in the machined position, and supplies the raw work to this position. ..

In the work supply device to the centerless grinding device proposed in Reference 3, the work mounting portion on which the work is placed moves on two parallel rollers, and the work mounting portion descends between the two rollers to work. Is left on the rollers and ground.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-190646 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-077494 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2019-107757

The work supply device proposed in Patent Document 1 is performed by supplying a work to a centerless grinding machine by sequentially pushing out the work to a plurality of works arranged behind the work and moved by two cylindrical rotating bodies. The device proposed in Patent Document 1 is suitable for combination with a grinding method (device) in which a work continuously fed is moved and ground by a grinding wheel and an adjusting wheel for a certain period of time. However, the apparatus proposed in Patent Document 1 is a method in which works are supplied to a grinding machine in a state of being connected in the axial direction, ground, and taken out. For example, in superfinishing, the works are specified one by one. It cannot be used as it is when polishing according to the procedure.

On the other hand, the work unloading device proposed in Patent Document 2 can be used for grinding and polishing a work according to a specific procedure because the work can be pushed out one by one with a hydraulic cylinder for the supply of the work. However, the device proposed in Patent Document 2 has a structure in which the works are vertically stacked and the work extruded by the hydraulic cylinder advances on the shoe mounting member, so that the centerless polishing device in which the rollers are lined up in a substantially horizontal direction is used. It cannot be adopted as it is.

The work supply device described in Patent Document 3 is suitable not only for supplying the work to a centerless grinding device or the like in which a pair of rollers are lined up in a substantially horizontal direction, but also for carrying out the work after grinding. In addition to the columnar work, this device can also supply and carry out a truncated cone-shaped work. However, since the mounting portion in the work supply device supplies the work onto the rollers by passing between the rollers and carries out the work from the rollers, it is not easy to apply to a grinding device in which the work is small and the distance between the rollers is narrow. do not have.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. For example, for a centerless polishing device in which a work is placed on a pair of rollers and polished, the work can be supplied and carried out on the rollers without being restricted by the roller spacing. It is an object of the present invention to provide a work transfer device.

The work transfer device according to the present invention includes a work holding device, a horizontal moving device for moving the work holding device in the horizontal direction, and a vertical moving device for moving the work holding device in the vertical direction. The horizontal moving device includes a horizontal moving unit that moves in the horizontal direction. The vertical movement device includes a vertical movement unit that moves in the vertical direction.
The work holding device is integrated with a horizontally moving portion or a vertically moving portion, and is formed so as to hold a work by providing a suction cup and creating a vacuum in a space formed between the inside of the suction cup and the surface of the work.

The work holding device has an arm extending in a substantially horizontal direction, and a connecting portion for integrating the arm into a horizontally moving portion or a vertically moving portion. The "substantially horizontal direction" is used because, for example, the arm functions as a work holding device even when the arm is not completely horizontal (180 degrees) and is slightly tilted from the horizontal.
The work holding device is provided with a suction cup near one end extending in the substantially horizontal direction of the arm so that the arm can swing with respect to the connecting portion around a horizontal axis, and the vicinity of the other end is supported by the connecting portion. ing.

The work holding device has a rotation restraining device for preventing excessive swing of the arm with respect to the connecting portion.
The suction cups provided near one of the extended ends of the arm are preferably attached to a holding that is swingable with respect to the arm about a horizontal axis.
Further, it is preferable that the arm is formed so that its length can be changed.

According to the present invention, for example, for a centerless polishing device in which a work is placed on a pair of rollers and polished, the work can be supplied and carried out on the rollers without being restricted by the roller spacing.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the work transfer device. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the work transfer device. FIG. 3 is a left side view of the work transfer device. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part of the work transfer device. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing how the work transfer device lifts the work from the work storage area. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the work transfer device conveys the work. FIG. 7 is a front view of another work transfer device. FIG. 8 is a plan view of another work transfer device. FIG. 9 is a left side view of another work transfer device. FIG. 10 is a front view of another work transfer device.

1 is a front view of the work transfer device 1, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the work transfer device 1, FIG. 3 is a left side view of the work transfer device 1, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part of the work transfer device 1.
The work transfer device 1 includes a stand 9, a horizontal moving device 2, a vertical moving device 3, a work holding device 4, and a vacuum device 5.
The stand 9 supports the horizontal moving device 2 and the like that are actually involved in the work transfer in the work transfer device 1. The height of the stand 9 is determined in consideration of the height of the table surface on which the work transfer device 1 is installed, the transfer destination, and the transfer source, and the shape of the stand 9 is determined while avoiding interference with the equipment around the installation location. To. In the work transfer device 1 shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the stand is composed of two portions 9a and 9b.

The horizontal moving device 2 includes a ball screw 11, bearings 12, 13, a linear guide, and a servomotor 14.
The ball screw 11 is supported by bearings 12 and 13 having both ends of the screw shaft 15 fixed to the stand 9. One end of the screw shaft 15 is connected to the servomotor 14.
The slider of the ball screw 11 is integrated with the frame of the vertical movement device 3. The ball screw 11, bearings 12, 13 and the linear guide are covered with square bellows 16, 17.

The horizontal movement device 2 horizontally moves the frame by rotating the screw shaft 15. As will be described later, the frame is a skeleton portion of the vertical movement device 3, and the horizontal movement device 2 is a device for horizontally moving the vertical movement device 3 (FIG. 4).
The vertical movement device 3 includes a frame, a ball screw 21, bearings 22, 23, a linear guide, a vertical movement unit 24, and a servomotor 25.

The ball screw 21 is supported by bearings 22 and 23 having both ends of the screw shaft 26 fixed to the frame. The “frame” refers to a skeleton portion that supports components of the vertical movement device 3, such as a ball screw 21, bearings 22, 23, a linear guide, a vertical movement portion 24, and a servomotor 25 in the vertical movement device 3.
One end of the screw shaft 26 is connected to the servomotor 25.

The slider 27 of the ball screw 26 is integrated with the vertical moving portion 24. The ball screw 21, bearings 22, 23 and the linear guide are covered with square bellows 28, 29.
The vertical movement portion 24 moves up and down with respect to the frame due to the rotation of the screw shaft 26. The vertical movement device 3 is a device for moving the vertical movement unit 24 up and down.
The ball screw 11, bearings 12, 13 and linear guide in the horizontal moving device 2 and the ball screw 21, bearings 22, 23 and linear guide in the vertical moving device 3 are provided (commercially available) in combination thereof. Is used.

The work holding device 4 includes an arm 31, a holding portion 32, a connecting portion 33, and a rotation restraining portion 34.
The arm 31 includes a base 41 and an expansion / contraction portion 42. The base 41 has a rectangular rod shape in cross section. The telescopic portion 42 has a cylindrical shape with a rectangular cross section on one end side in the longitudinal direction, and a part of the base portion 41 is slidably fitted into the tubular portion. The telescopic portion 42 is elongated as a whole and is continuous with the base 41. The telescopic portion 42 can move (slide) with respect to the base portion 41 in the longitudinal direction thereof, and is fixed to the base portion 41 by two hexagon socket head bolts.

Regarding the arm 31, a part of the base portion 41 may be formed in a cylindrical shape, and a part of the telescopic portion 42 may be slid in the tubular portion to adjust the length of the arm 31.
The holding portion 32 is integrated with the end of the telescopic portion 42 on the opposite side of the base 41. The holding portion 32 can swing around a horizontal axis 35 orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the arm 31. The holding portion 32 has a suction cup 43. The suction cup 43 is made of a flexible oil-resistant resin such as nitrile rubber. The inside of the suction cup 43 communicates with the joint 44 attached to the holding portion 32, and the joint 44 communicates with the vacuum port 55 of the vacuum device 5 by the resin tube 56. The resin in the resin tube is polyurethane.

The connecting portion 33 extends vertically in the front view (FIG. 1) and is formed of a plate material in a substantially “J” shape. The connecting portion 33 is fixed to the vertical moving portion 24 at the upper end thereof, and moves up and down with the vertical movement of the vertical moving portion 24. The connecting portion 33 holds the arm 31 swingably near the lower end thereof. The swing shaft 45 of the arm is horizontal and parallel to the shaft 35 on which the holding portion 32 swings.

The rotation restraining portion 34 includes a fixing portion 47 having a rectangular cross section and a rod shape, a spring plunger 48, and a stopper 49. The fixing portion 47 extends horizontally on both sides of the swing shaft 45 and is fixed to the connecting portion 33. The fixing portion 47 has female screw holes vertically penetrating in the vicinity of both ends of the rod shape.
A spring plunger 48 is screwed into the female screw located on the holding portion 32 side of the arm 31 with its pin facing down. The spring plunger 48 has a built-in spring in the main body, and is urged by the spring in a direction in which a partially exposed pin is further exposed.

A hexagon socket head cap screw 50 is screwed into the female screw located on the opposite side of the holding portion 32 side, and this screwed state is maintained by the locking nut. These are the stopper 49. Both the spring plunger 48 and the hexagon socket head screw 50 project downward from the fixing portion 47.
The lower end of the hexagon socket head screw 50 abuts on the upper surface of the base 41 of the arm 31, which prevents the arm 31 from swinging and lowering the suction cup 43 side.

The vacuum device 5 is a device that realizes depressurization for holding the work on the suction cup 43. The vacuum device 5 obtains a vacuum (decompression) by an ejector method using compressed air, and is a device in which an ejector, a vacuum circuit on-off valve, a leak circuit on-off valve, and the like are compactly integrated. The vacuum device 5 is integrated with the frame of the vertical movement device 3, and moves horizontally with the horizontal movement of the vertical movement device 3.

In the vacuum device 5, the vacuum port 55 communicates with the joint 44 of the work holding device 4 by the resin tube 56, and the compressed air supply port 57 communicates with the compressor installed at a distant place.
Next, the operation of the work transfer device 1 to transfer the work W will be described.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which the work transfer device 1 lifts the work W from the work storage place, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the work transfer device 1 conveys the work W. 5 (c) and 6 (a) show the same state.

The work transfer device 1 operates the horizontal moving device 2 and the vertical moving device 3 to move the suction cup 43 of the work holding device 4 onto the work W placed at the work transfer source (FIG. 5A). With reference to FIG. 5, the vertical movement device 3 lowers the work holding device 4 until the entire circumference of the end edge of the suction cup 43 touches the peripheral surface of the work W.
By the way, in the work holding device 4, the holding portion 32 having the suction cup 43 can swing around the horizontal axis 35, and the arm 31 that integrates the holding portion 32 can swing with respect to the connecting portion 33. Therefore, in the work transfer device 1, the lowering position of the work holding device 4 by the vertical moving device 3 may be within the range in which the arm 31 swings and the holding portion 32 swings, and the work holding device 4 may have a lowering position. The strictness of the descending position control can be avoided. For example, when the work holding device 4 is further lowered from the exact lowering position, that is, even if the work holding device 4 is further lowered after the suction cup 43 abuts on the peripheral surface of the work W, the subsequent lowering is performed on the arm 31 and the arm 31. It is absorbed by the swing of the holding portion 32. Then, the suction cup 43 stays at the position while the entire circumference of the edge thereof is in contact with the peripheral surface of the work W (FIG. 5A).

Excessive swing of the arm 31 is prevented by the spring plunger 48.
In FIG. 5, a tapered roller is illustrated as the work W to be conveyed, but in the work transfer device 1, even when the cylindrical roller is conveyed, the strictness of the lowering position of the vertical movement device 3 due to the swing of the holding portion 32 and the arm 31 is obtained. The same avoidance effect of is obtained.
Further, the flexibility regarding the lowering position of the vertical movement device 3 is the same when the work W is moved to the transport destination.

When the entire circumference of the end of the suction cup 43 hits the peripheral surface of the work W, the vertical movement device 3 stops descending, and the vacuum device 5 opens a decompression path to evacuate the inside of the suction cup 43 to integrate the suction cup 43 and the work W. Let me. Subsequently, the work W is lifted by the vertical movement device 3, and the lowering of the work W due to the swing of the arm 31 at this time is prevented by the stopper 49 locking the end portion of the arm 31 (FIG. 5). (B)).

The arm 31 expands and contracts in the direction in which the telescopic portion 42 moves with respect to the base 41 in the vertical movement device 3, that is, in the direction in which the horizontal movement device 2 moves the vertical movement device 3. As a result, even if the position of the suction cup 43 when holding the work W (FIG. 5A) is slightly deviated from the set control position, the servomotor 25 control program (of the horizontal moving device 2) is not modified. The position of the suction cup 43 can be easily optimized.

After holding the work W, the work transfer device 1 raises the work W by the vertical movement device 3 (FIG. 5 (c)), FIG. 6 (a)), and subsequently transfers the work W by the horizontal transfer device 2. (Fig. 6 (b)). It is efficient to horizontally move the work W to the transport destination by the horizontal moving device 2 while raising the work W by the vertical moving device 3.
As described above, the work transfer device 1 does not require excessive precision for controlling the servomotor 25 that drives the vertical movement device 3 by the swinging arm 31 and the swinging holding portion 32. Further, since the work transfer device 1 can adjust the length of the arm 31, it is not necessary to have excessive precision for controlling the servomotor 14 that drives the horizontal movement device 2.

7 is a front view of another work transfer device 1B, FIG. 8 is a plan view of the work transfer device 1B, FIG. 9 is a left side view of the work transfer device 1B, and FIG. 10 is a front view of the work transfer device 1B.
The work transfer device 1B includes a stand 9B, a vertical movement device 3B, a horizontal movement device 2B, a work holding device 4B, and a vacuum device 5B.
The stand 9B directly supports the vertical movement device 3B.

The vertical movement device 3B includes a frame, a ball screw 21B, bearings 22B and 23B, a linear guide, a vertical movement unit 24B, and a servomotor 25B.
The frame is fixed to the stand 9B and supports the vertical movement device 3B together with the stand 9B.
The ball screw 21B is supported by bearings 22B and 23B in which both ends of the screw shaft 26B are integrated in the frame. The bearings 22B and 23B, the linear guide, the servomotor 25B, and other non-moving components of the vertical moving device 3B are fixed to the "frame".

One end of the screw shaft 26B is connected to the servomotor 25B via a pulley and a timing belt.
The slider 27B of the ball screw 26B is integrated with the vertical moving portion 24B. The ball screw 21B, bearings 22B, 23B and the linear guide are covered with square bellows 28B, 29B.

The vertical movement portion 24B moves up and down with respect to the frame due to the rotation of the screw shaft 26B. The vertical movement unit 24B is fixed to the horizontal movement device 2B, whereby the vertical movement unit 24B moves the horizontal movement device 2B and the work holding device 4B horizontally as a unit.
The servomotor 25B is arranged behind the ball screw 11B and the like in the front view (FIG. 1).

The horizontal moving device 2B is arranged in front of the ball screw 11B and the like in the front view (FIG. 10).
The horizontal moving device 2B includes a ball screw 11B, bearings 12B and 13B, a linear guide and a servomotor 14B.
The ball screw 11B is supported by bearings 12B and 13B in which both ends of the screw shaft 15B are fixed to the frame of the vertical movement device 3B. One end of the screw shaft 15B is connected to the servomotor 14B.

The slider 18B of the ball screw 11B is integrated with the work holding device 4B. The ball screw 11B, bearings 12B and 13B and the linear guide are covered with square bellows 16B and 17B.
The horizontal moving device 2B horizontally moves the work holding device 4B by rotating the screw shaft 15B.

The ball screw 21B, bearings 22B, 23B and linear guide in the vertical moving device 3B, and the ball screw 11B, bearings 12B, 13B and linear guide in the horizontal moving device 2B are provided (commercially available) in combination. Is used.
The work holding device 4B includes a support column 30B, a connecting portion 33B, an arm 31B, a holding portion 32B, and a rotation restraining portion 34B.

The support column 30B extends slightly diagonally upward from the horizontal moving device 2B in front of the horizontal moving device 2B. The support column 30B is integrated with the slider 18B in the vicinity of the lower end thereof, and the connecting portion 33B is fixed to the upper end thereof.
The slider 18B corresponds to the "horizontal moving portion" in the present invention.
The connecting portion 33B extends substantially horizontally from the upper end of the support column 30B in the same direction as the operating direction of the horizontal moving device 2B (the direction in which the screw shaft 15B extends). An arm 31B and a rotation restraining portion 34B are attached to the end where the connecting portion 33B extends.

The arm 31B includes a base portion 41B and an expansion / contraction portion 42B. The shapes, structures, and the like of the base portion 41B and the telescopic portion 42B in the arm 31B are the same as those of the arm 31 and the telescopic portion 42 in the work transfer device 1 described above, and the description thereof will be omitted.
The arm 31B is swingably integrated with a swing shaft 45B in the vicinity of the lower end of the connecting portion 33B slightly inward from the end on the base portion 41B side.

The holding portion 32B is integrated with the end of the telescopic portion 42B on the opposite side of the base portion 41B. The holding portion 32B can swing around a horizontal axis 35B orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the arm 31B. The suction cup 43B and the joint 44B included in the holding portion 32B are the same as those in the work transfer device 1.
The swing shaft 45B of the arm is parallel to the shaft 35B on which the holding portion 32B swings.

The rotation restraining portion 34B includes a fixing portion 47B, a spring plunger 48B, and a stopper 49B. The shape, structure, and function of these and the hexagon socket head set screw 50B in the fixing portion 47B are the same as those in the work transfer device 1.
The vacuum device 5B is a device that realizes depressurization for holding the work on the suction cup 43B. The vacuum device 5B is fixed to the upper end of the connecting portion 33B on the support column 30B side.

In the vacuum device 5B, the vacuum port 55B communicates with the joint 44B of the work holding device 4B by the resin tube 56B, and the compressed air supply port 57B communicates with the compressor installed at a distant place.
The vacuum device 5B moves up and down together with the horizontal moving device 2B. In this respect, the work transfer device 1B is different from the work transfer device 1 in which the vacuum device 5 moves horizontally together with the vertical movement device 3.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of a work transfer device 1B in which the vertical movement device 3B is operated and the work holding device 4B is lowered together with the horizontal movement device 2B. In this way, the work transfer device 1B is integrated with the work holding device 4B, and the horizontal moving device 2B moves up and down (compared to FIG. 7 before lowering).
On the other hand, in the work transfer device 1 described above, the horizontal moving device 2 is fixed to the stand 9 and its position does not change, and the work holding device 4 moves horizontally together with the vertical moving device 3 by the vertical moving device 3. Move up and down.

Except for this point, the state in which the work transfer device 1B conveys the work is the same as the state in which the work transfer device 1 conveys the work W (FIGS. 5 and 6). The functions of the arm 31B, the holding portion 32B, and the rotation restraining portion 34B of the work holding device 4B in the work transporting device 1B are the same as those in the work transporting device 1.
The work transfer devices 1 and 1B can hold the work W one by one, move it vertically and horizontally to the transfer destination, and / or take it out from the transfer destination. Since the work transfer devices 1 and 1B can move the work from above to the transfer destination, it can be applied even when the lateral circumference of the transfer destination is complicated and it is difficult to move the work from the lateral direction. Further, the work transfer devices 1 and 1B can transfer the work without being restricted by the size of the work, and can transfer the work even on a roller having an extremely narrow interval in the polishing device, for example.

In the above-described embodiment, the structure, shape, dimensions, number, material, etc. of each configuration or the whole of the work transfer devices 1, 1B and the work transfer devices 1, 1B may be appropriately changed according to the gist of the present invention. can.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used, for example, when a work is supplied to a centerless polishing device for polishing by placing the work on a pair of rollers and the work after polishing is taken out.

1,1B Work transfer device 2,2B Horizontal movement device 3,3B Vertical movement device 4,4B Work holding device 18B Slider (horizontal movement part)
24, 24B Vertical movement part 31, 31B Arm 32, 32B Holding part 33, 33B Connecting part 34, 34B Rotation stop part (rotation stop device)
35,35B (swing of holding part) shaft 43,43B Sucker 45,45B (swing of arm) shaft

Claims (5)

A work holding device for holding the work and
A horizontal moving device for moving the work holding device in the horizontal direction,
It has a vertical movement device for moving the work holding device in the vertical direction, and has.
The horizontal moving device includes a horizontal moving unit that moves in the horizontal direction.
The vertical movement device includes a vertical movement unit that moves in the vertical direction.
The work holding device is integrated with the horizontal moving portion or the vertical moving portion, and is provided with a suction cup so as to hold the work by creating a vacuum in the space formed between the inside of the suction cup and the surface of the work. A workpiece transfer device characterized by being formed. The work holding device is
With an arm that extends almost horizontally,
It has a connecting portion for integrating the arm into the horizontal moving portion or the vertical moving portion.
The suction cup is provided near one of the extended ends of the arm.
The work transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the arm is swingable with respect to the connecting portion around a horizontal axis, and the vicinity of the other end is supported by the connecting portion. The work transfer device according to claim 2, wherein the work holding device has a rotation restraining device for preventing excessive swing of the arm with respect to the connecting portion. The work transfer device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the suction cup provided near one of the extended ends of the arm is attached to a holding portion that is swingable with respect to the arm around a horizontal axis. The work transfer device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the arm is formed so that its length can be changed.

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