JP2522415Y2 - Coil spring position and phase determination device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention mainly relates to an apparatus for determining a position and a phase of a coil spring for keeping its position and phase constant before measuring the shape of the coil spring having an arm portion such as a torsion spring by an image processing apparatus. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a torsion spring having a height of about 3 mm used for a brush holder of a motor for driving a wiper of an automobile is formed by winding both ends of a beryllium copper thin wire wound into a coil having a diameter of about 4 mm. This is a type of coil spring having an arm portion formed by being left unwound so as to protrude outward from a shape-like portion. Such a torsion spring locks each arm with the motor body and the brush,
It is used to apply a pressing force to the brush according to the opening angle between both arms. Therefore, when the opening angle between the two arms in the free state is different, the pressing force exerted by the torsion spring changes, and therefore, the opening angle between the two arms in the free state is controlled within a predetermined range. There is a need to.

[0003] To measure the opening angle between both arms of such a torsion spring, Japanese Patent Application No. 4-295 is disclosed.
No. 259 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 6-178661), a torsion spring is dispensed one by one from a parts feeder so as to be positioned within a predetermined range on an index table, and a C set so as to image the entire predetermined range.
There has been proposed one in which a silhouette of a torsion spring is captured by a CD camera and an opening angle between both arms is obtained by image processing.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned proposal, a torsion spring supplied from a parts feeder or the like is dropped on a table, and an image is taken by a CCD camera without particularly positioning the spring. In this case, the imaging range of the CCD camera must be set so as to cover the entire predetermined range where the torsion spring may be arranged. Then, the size of the torsion spring with respect to the entire screen is reduced, and the resolution is reduced, so that the measurement accuracy cannot be improved. If the arm is parallel to the frame of the imaging screen, the frame of the imaging screen may be captured as an outline of the arm. In this case, the original measurement result cannot be obtained and the measurement is not performed. There is a problem that the reliability of the device is reduced.

In view of the above problems, the present invention improves the resolution of an image screen by positioning the coil spring, and determines the phase of the coil spring so that the reliability of the measurement is not reduced. It is an object to provide a position and phasing device.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the invention of claim 1, at least one end of a winding, which is mounted so that a central axis is vertical, is formed so as to protrude outward. Positioning means for holding a coil spring having an arm portion between a V-shaped member pressing the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical coil portion from one side and a pressing member pressing from the other side to correct the position of the coil spring to a predetermined position; Phase determining means for engaging the arm of the coil spring and rotating the coil spring about a central axis to a predetermined phase.

The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that the V-shaped member of the invention of claim 1 is constituted by a pair of clamp arms which are pivotally supported pivotally and closed in a V-shape. I do.

Further, according to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, a driving source for pressing the outer peripheral surface of the coil portion by the V-shaped member and a driving source for pressing the outer peripheral surface of the coil portion by the pressing member. And a common driving source.

[0009]

When the cylindrical coil portion is sandwiched between the V-shaped member and the pressing member, the coil portion is supported by the two members at three points. Therefore, the position of the coil spring is set at a predetermined position by both members. It is decided uniquely.

In addition, the torsion spring is rotated to a desired phase through the arm of the coil spring so that the posture of the torsion spring becomes constant.

The V-shaped member may be constituted by a pair of swingable clamp arms, which are swung when the outer peripheral surface of the coil portion is pressed so as to be closed in a V-shape. The working stroke can be shortened compared to using one member formed as a V-shaped member.

Further, since the V-shaped member and the push member operate at the same time, they can be operated by one common drive source to reduce the size of the apparatus and to simplify the operation control of the apparatus. it can.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral P denotes an index table which rotates intermittently while determining the phase in steps of 60. Around the index table P, work stations ST1 to ST5 are set. In ST1, a shooter SH for dispensing a torsion spring T from an unshown parts feeder onto an index table P within a predetermined range SE.
Is provided, and a position and phase determining device according to the present invention is attached to the next station ST2.
At T1, the torsion spring T paid out within the predetermined range SE is positioned at a predetermined position and the phase is determined so as to have a predetermined phase. When the position and phase are determined in this way, the torsion spring T is sent to the next station ST3, where an image is taken by the CCD camera CA. Note that the imaging range CE of the CCD camera CA is set such that the torsion spring T largely occupies the imaging screen CE. When the imaging is completed, the torsion spring T is temporarily stopped at the idle station and then conveyed to the station ST4. If it is determined that the product is acceptable from the imaging result in ST3, the torsion spring T is paid out to a predetermined pallet by the payout arm HA. The passed torsion spring T is further transported to the next station ST5 and is paid out by the scraper SC as a rejected product.

The position and phase determining device provided in ST2 has the structure shown in FIG. 2, wherein 1 is a flat rectangular substrate, and the substrate 1 is mounted on a bracket via two air cylinders 11 spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. 12 is vertically suspended so as to be movable up and down. A pulse motor 2 is mounted on the upper surface of the substrate 1 between the two air cylinders 11, and a pinion gear 21 is mounted on a shaft of the pulse motor 2 so as to protrude from the lower surface of the substrate 1. . A pair of racks 31 and 41 sandwiching the pinion gear 21 are slidably held in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 1 by a pressing member 13 on the lower surface of the substrate 1. In addition, rack 31.4
An idle pinion 22 for maintaining a mutual interval between the two racks 31 and 41 is interposed between them. The idle pinion 22 is supported by a slider 23 inserted in an elongated hole 14 provided in the substrate 1 so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 1 and urged by a spring 25 in a direction away from the pinion gear 21. Have been. Therefore, the springs 2 are attached to both racks 31 and 41 via the idle pinion 22.
5, the backlash between the racks 31 and 41 and the pinion gear 21 is eliminated.

Referring to FIG. 3, a substantially U-shaped operating member 32 is attached to the lower surface of the front end of a rack 31 located on the left side of the board 1 in the longitudinal direction. One pin 34 is protruded downward from each of both ends. Also, a support pin 3 that fits in the U-shape of the operation member 32 and positions the operation member 32 in the lateral direction.
3 protrudes from the lower surface of the substrate 1 and
A pair of clamp arms 3 made of a thin plate of phosphor bronze are pivotally supported at the lower end of the arm. The clamp arm 3 has a slit 35 extending radially with respect to the support pin 33.
The pin 34 of the operation member 32 is inserted into the slit 35. Therefore, when the rack 31 is advanced, the pin 34 of the operation member 32 pushes the inner peripheral edge of the slit 35 of the clamp arm 3, and the clamp arm 3 swings around the support pin 33 as a pivot and closes in a V-shape. On the other hand, a substantially L-shaped holding member 4 made of a phosphor bronze thin plate is attached to the tip of a rack 41 located on the right side of the substrate 1 in the longitudinal direction.
When 1 advances and the clamp arm 3 closes in a V-shape,
In conjunction with this, the rack 41 retreats differentially, and the presser fitting 4 approaches the clamp arm 3, so that a pair of clamp arms 3 and the presser fixture 4 form a triangular space. Accordingly, the torsion spring T located between the clamp arm 3 and the presser fitting 4 has its coil portion T
Clamp arm 3 whose outer peripheral surface is closed in a V-shape from one side
, And from the other side by the presser fitting 4, and are uniquely positioned in the above-mentioned triangular space.

Above the position where the torsion spring T is positioned, a pulse motor 5 is supported by a support column 53 at an interval from above the substrate 1. A solenoid 6 is fixed between the pulse motor 5 and the upper surface of the substrate 1. This solenoid 6
Is provided with a movable rod 61 penetrated in the up-down direction. The movable rod 64 normally urged downward by a spring 64 is configured to move upward by energization. The upper end of the movable rod 61 is provided with two surfaces parallel to each other, and is fitted into an elongated hole 52 formed in the lower end surface of a joint member 51 attached to the shaft of the pulse motor 5. Therefore, the rotational force of the pulse motor 5 is transmitted to the movable shaft 61, but the movable rod 61 can move up and down without being disturbed by the joint member 51. At the lower end of the movable rod 61, as shown in FIG. 4, a guide portion 62 having a diameter capable of being inserted into the torsion spring T is provided.
In addition, the rake pin 63 is attached to the movable shaft 61 so as to be offset from the guide portion 62.

The torsion spring T has the shape shown in FIG. 5, and comprises a coil portion T1 and arms T2 and T3 left unwound at both ends. Then, the parts are fed out from the parts feeder (not shown) onto the index table P in the state shown in the figure, that is, with the arms T2 facing upward.

According to the above structure, in the initial state, the solenoid 6 is energized to move the movable rod 61 upward, and the pulse motor 2 opens the clamp arm 3 to approximately 180 °. When the torsion spring T is paid out from the parts feeder onto the index table P and is moved to ST2, the substrate 1 is retracted upward by the operation of the air cylinder 11, and the torsion spring T is moved to ST2. Is moved to a position close to the index table P, that is, a position where the height of the clamp arm 3 and the holding metal 4 is the same as the height of the coil portion T1 of the torsion spring T. Next, the clamp arm 3 is closed in a V-shape by the operation of the pulse motor 2 and the presser fitting 4 is moved closer to the clamp arm 3 to forcibly move the position of the torsion spring T to a predetermined position for positioning.

When the positioning of the torsion spring T is completed, the power supply to the solenoid 6 is stopped, and the spring 64 is turned off.
The movable rod 61 is moved downward by the urging force of the torsion spring T, and the guide part 62 at the lower end of the movable rod 61 is inserted into the coil part T1 of the torsion spring T, and the key pin 63
At a height that intersects the arm T2. When the guide portion 62 is inserted into the coil portion T1, the position of the torsion spring T does not deviate from the predetermined position, so that the pulse motor 2 is operated in the reverse direction, and the clamp arm 3 and the presser fitting 4 are retracted. . Next, the pulse motor 5
Is rotated by at least one turn, the pin 63 is hooked on the arm portion T2 to rotate the torsion spring T, thereby determining the phase of the torsion spring T. As described above, when the positioning and the phase determination of the torsion spring T are completed, the solenoid 6 is re-energized to move the movable rod 61 upward, and the air cylinder 1
The substrate 1 is retracted upward by 1 and then the index table P is rotated to move the torsion spring T to the imaging station ST3.

In the above embodiment, the pair of clamp arms 3 are closed in a V-shape and the coil portion T1 is pushed.
1 and attached to the coil portion T with this V-shaped member.
1 may be pressed. In the above embodiment, the pinion gear 21 and the movable rod 61 are both rotated using a pulse motor. However, the pinion gear may be rotated by an air motor or the like that swings within a predetermined angle range, Further, the movable rod may be driven by a normal gear motor or the like having a sensor for detecting a stop position.

[0021]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the position of the coil spring paid out from the parts feeder or the like is determined, so that the position of the coil spring can be measured in the imaging screen for measuring the shape of the coil spring. Since the image of the coil spring can be set large, the measurement accuracy can be improved. Further, by determining the phase of the coil spring, there is no possibility that the peripheral edge of the imaging screen is recognized as an outline of the coil spring, so that the reliability of the measurement result is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a state in which a device according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the configuration of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing details in the vicinity of a lower end of a movable rod.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the shape of a torsion spring.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 board 2 pulse motor 3 clamp arm 4 holding bracket 5 pulse motor 6 solenoid T torsion spring

Claims (3)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A coil spring having an arm formed by projecting at least one end of a winding outward so that a central axis thereof is perpendicular to the center axis is pressed from one side of an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical coil part. Positioning means for sandwiching the coil spring between the V-shaped member and the pressing member pressed from the other side to correct the position of the coil spring to a predetermined position; and engaging the arm portion of the coil spring at the predetermined position to rotate the coil spring around the central axis. And a phase determining means for rotating the coil spring to a predetermined phase. 2. The position and phase determination of a coil spring according to claim 1, wherein said V-shaped member is constituted by a pair of clamp arms which are pivotally supported pivotally and closed in a V-shape. apparatus. 3. A driving source for pressing the outer peripheral surface of the coil portion by the V-shaped member and a driving source for pressing the outer peripheral surface of the coil portion by the pressing member are constituted by one common driving source. 1
Or the position and phase determination device of the coil spring according to claim 2.