JP2574579B2 - Work transfer device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transfer device for transferring a work such as an automobile body on a production line or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, it has been known that a transfer device for transferring a work such as an automobile body between work stations is used in a production line of an automobile or the like.

[0003] This type of transfer device generally includes a hanger movable along a rail extending along the work transfer direction, and driving means for driving the hanger along the rail. The work is supported by the hanger and transported between the work stations.However, since it is generally difficult to position the work due to the swing of the hanger or the like, the work is removed from the hanger and separately provided during the work operation at the work station. Positioning has been performed by placing it on the positioning pedestal.

However, when the work is placed on the positioning pedestal, it is difficult to accurately determine the transfer position of the work due to the swing of the hanger or the like, and further, when the work is transferred from the hanger to the positioning pedestal. Since a high-precision transfer device and the like are required, there is a disadvantage that the equipment becomes large-scale and the cost increases.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention can release the clamped state of the work by the hanger while the hanger is accurately stopped at a predetermined position and positioned. It is another object of the present invention to provide a work transfer apparatus that can simplify equipment and reduce costs.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a rail extending along a work transfer direction, a hanger movable along the rail, and a rail mounted on the rail. A driving means for driving the work along the hanger, wherein the work transfer device holds and transfers the work to the hanger, wherein a rod-shaped engagement pin extended to the hanger perpendicular to the moving direction of the hanger; A clamp means for a work provided on the hanger for connecting and fixing the work to the hanger; and a pair of clamp arms provided at a stop position of the hanger and opened and closed by opening and closing drive means in parallel with the moving direction of the hanger; An air supply port provided at a grip portion of the clamp arm for gripping and fixing the engagement pin when the clamp arm is closed, one end of which is connected to air supply means; When the engagement pin is gripped by the arm, an air passage provided in the engagement pin that is connected to the air supply port to allow air to flow freely, and when the air passage is connected to the air supply port, And a clamp release means for releasing the clamped state of the work clamping means by the air supplied from the air supply means via the air passage.

[0007]

When the workpiece is transported by the transport device of the present invention, the workpiece is supported by the hanger, and the hanger is driven by the driving means. Then, for example, in a work station or the like, first, the hanger is stopped by stopping the driving means. The stop position is provided with the pair of clamp arms, and when the hanger is stopped, both clamp arms are closed by the opening / closing drive means in a direction approaching each other. Since the hanger is provided with the engaging pins, the engaging pins are gripped by the gripping portions of each clamp arm when both clamp arms are closed. At this time, the hanger is fixed on the rail via the engaging pin.

When the engagement pin is gripped by the grip portion of the clamp arm, the air passage of the engagement pin is connected to the air supply port of the grip portion. Thus, the air supplied from the air supply means is conducted through the air passage of the engagement pin, and the air releases the clamp release means. Then, the clamp state of the work clamping means is released, and the work is released from being supported by the hanger in a state where the work is positioned from the hanger fixed at the stop position.

[0009]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory side view of this embodiment, FIG. 2 is an explanatory front view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of a main part of this embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a rail extending along the direction of transport of the work W, 2 denotes a hanger for supporting the work W during the transfer, and 3 denotes driving means for driving the hanger 2 along the rail 1.

Each part will be described in detail.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rail 1 is suspended by a support member 6 provided on a column 4 with a beam 5 interposed therebetween. Also, the rail 1 has an upper rail portion 7.
And the lower rail portion 8 are formed of an I-beam that is connected via a connecting portion 9. Upper rail section 7 and lower rail section 8
Each side face is provided with a contact member 11 with which a contact surface of each anti-sway roller 10 described later contacts.

Further, as will be described in detail later, a pair of clamp arms 12 which are opened and closed in parallel with the moving direction of the work W are provided at predetermined positions of the rail 1 where the work W is stopped.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the driving means 3 includes a driving wheel 14 made of urethane rubber, which rotates on the upper surface of the upper rail portion 7 on the upper portion of the frame 13, and a driving wheel 14 made of urethane rubber. And a drive motor 15 for driving the drive motor 14.
At the lower portion of the frame 13, there are provided anti-sway rollers 10 which rotate in contact with both side surfaces of the upper rail portion 7. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a support member 16 extending downward from the frame 13 has the drive motor 15
A current collecting unit 17 for transmitting electricity to the drive motor 15 when the current collecting unit 17 is in contact with the power supply rail 1 extending on one side of the rail 1. Sent. The power supply rail 1
Are connected to a power supply device (not shown).

Further, the support member 16 is provided with a steady rest roller 10 which is rotated coaxially with the steady rest roller 10 and in contact with both side surfaces of the lower rail portion 8 so as to face downward. . The above-mentioned steadying roller 10 prevents the driving means 3 from swinging in the left-right direction orthogonal to the traveling direction. Further, a control device 18 for electrically controlling the drive of the drive motor 15 is provided at a lower end portion of the support member 16.

The driving means 3 includes, as shown in FIG.
There is provided a steady rest unit 20 connected rearward via a connecting member 19. The steady rest unit 20 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, a pair of steady rest rollers 22 which abut the upper surface of the upper rail portion 7 and the lower surface of the lower rail portion 8 respectively to oppose the upper and lower portions of the frame 21 and sandwich the rail 1 are formed. Have. Thereby, the driving means 3
Shaking in the left-right direction orthogonal to the traveling direction is reliably prevented.

At the front and rear ends of the connecting member 19, there are provided dampers 23 for absorbing a shock when the connecting member 19 comes into contact with another conveying device.
24 are provided. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hanger 2 is suspended from the connection member 4 via a support member 25 extending below the connection member 4.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hanger 2 has a plurality of holding arms 27 each having a locking portion 26 for locking the work W at a lower end thereof, and a work held by the holding arms 27. Clamping means 28 for clamping and fixing W. The clamping means 28 includes a first gripping member 29 and a second gripping member 30 that moves toward the first gripping member 29 and clamps the work W between the first gripping member 29 and the second gripping member. The movement of the member 30 is performed by the air cylinder 31. The air cylinder 31
Moves the second gripping member 30 by expanding and contracting a piston rod (not shown) connected to the second gripping member 30.

The connecting member 19 has a rod-shaped engaging pin 32 extending perpendicularly to the moving direction of the hanger 2.
Is provided.

The engaging pin 32 moves integrally with the hanger 2 via the connecting member 19, and is held by the clamp arm 12 at a predetermined stop position.

The clamp arm 12 is supported by a support member 33 fixed to one side of the rail 1.
As shown in FIG. 3, a support shaft 34 provided on the support member 33
Swing arm 35 and support shaft 36, which are rotatably supported on the shaft.
And a second swing arm 37 which is pivotally supported on the second swing arm. A piston rod 39 of an air cylinder 38 serving as an opening / closing drive unit of the clamp arm 12 is connected to a base end portion 35 a of the first swing arm 35 via the support shaft 34. The support shafts 34, 36 are provided with gears 40, 41 meshing with each other, whereby the first swing arm 35 and the second swing arm 37 are simultaneously swung in directions opposite to each other. . That is, when the piston rod 39 is extended by the air cylinder 38, the first swing arm 35 swings in a direction away from the second swing arm 37. The gears 40 and 41 rotate with the swing, the second swing arm 37 is separated from the first swing arm 35, and the clamp arm 12 is opened. When the piston rod 39 is contracted by the air cylinder 38, the first swing arm 35 swings toward the second swing arm 37. The gears 40 and 41 rotate with the swing,
The second swing arm 37 faces the first swing arm 35, and the clamp arm 12 is closed. A gripping member 42 that abuts against the engaging pin 32 and securely locks the engaging pin 32, at a gripping portion of the engaging pin 32 at the tip of the first swing arm 35 and the second swing arm 37. 43 are provided.

As described above, the clamp arm 12 provided at the predetermined stop position of the hanger 2 clamps the engagement pin 32, so that the hanger 2 is positioned at the predetermined stop position via the engagement pin 32. Is done.

Further, an air supply port 44 is formed in the gripping member 42 of the first swing arm 35 on the side facing the engaging pin 32. The air supply port 44 is connected to an air supply means 46 via a tube 45. On the other hand, the engaging pin 32 is formed with an air passage 47 that is connected to the air supply port 44 to allow air to flow freely when gripped by the clamp arm 12. The air passage 47 is connected to an air cylinder 31 of the clamp means 28 provided on the hanger 2 via a tube 48.

When the workpiece W is transported by the transport device of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration, the driving means 3 is moved along the rail 1 by driving the driving wheels 14 by the driving motor 15, whereby the hanger 2 is moved. The supported work W is transported. Then, for example, in a work station or the like, first, the hanger 2 is stopped by stopping the driving means 3 by the control means 18. At this stop position, a positioning pedestal 49 is provided below the work W conveyed by the hanger 2. The rail 1 corresponding to the positioning pedestal 49 is provided with the clamp arm 1.
When the hanger 2 is stopped, the clamp arms 12 are closed in directions approaching each other by driving the air cylinder 38, and the engaging pins 32 are gripped by the clamp arms 12. As a result, the hanger 2 is positioned and fixed at the predetermined stop position.

Then, the engaging pin 32 is gripped by the clamp arm 12 and the gripping member 42 of the first swing arm 35 is held.
The air passage 47 of the engagement pin 32 is connected to the air supply port 44 when it comes into close contact with the air supply port 44. Thereafter, the air supplied from the air supply means 46 is conducted through the air passage 47 of the engagement pin 32, and the clamp means 28 releases the clamping of the work W by the air. At this time, for example, if the position where the hanger 2 is stopped is deviated from the predetermined position, the engaging pin 32 is not securely held by the clamp arm 12 and the air from the air supply means 46 is released from the engaging pin. 32, the clamp means 28 of the work W is not released, the stop position of the hanger 2 can be confirmed, and the careless work W
Can be prevented from being released. Since the hanger 2 is positioned by the clamp arm 12 at a position corresponding to the positioning pedestal 49, the work W is released from being supported by the hanger 2 in the positioned state, and can be easily and precisely transferred to the positioning pedestal 49. Can be done.

[0027]

As is apparent from the above, according to the present invention, the engaging pin is provided on the hanger, and the engaging pin is clamped by the clamp arm provided at the stop position of the hanger. The hanger can be accurately stopped at a predetermined position.

Further, when the clamp arm grips the engaging pin, the air supply port of the clamp arm is connected to the air passage of the engaging pin, and the workpiece clamped by the air supplied from the air supply. , It is possible to release the clamped state of the work by the hanger in a state where it is positioned at the predetermined position, and to prevent the careless release of the clamp of the work when the stop position of the hanger is shifted. it can.

Furthermore, the hanger can be fixed at a predetermined position only by providing a clamp arm at a predetermined stop position, so that the structure is simple and the work station can be easily added. Therefore, an increase in cost can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory side view of the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory front view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of a main part of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

W: Work, 1 ... Rail, 2 ... Hanger, 3 ... Driving means,
32: engagement pin, 28: clamp means, 38: air cylinder (opening / closing drive means), 12: clamp arm, 46
... air supply means, 44 ... air supply port, 47 ... air passage, 31 ... air cylinder (clamp release means).

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Agency reference number FI Technical display location B65G 47/61 B65G 47/61 Z (72) Inventor Hidenobu Iwata 1-10 Shinzayama, Sayama City, Saitama Prefecture No. 1 Honda Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shinpei Watanabe 1-10-1, Shinsayama, Sayama City, Saitama Prefecture Inside (72) Inventor Tatsuo Konno 1-10-1, Shinsayama, Sayama City, Saitama Prefecture Within Honda Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yozo Yoshida 1-10-1 Shin-Sayama, Sayama City, Saitama Prefecture Honda Engineering Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A rail extending in a direction in which the work is conveyed; a hanger movable along the rail; and driving means for driving the hanger along the rail. In a work transfer device for holding and transferring a work, a rod-shaped engaging pin extending to the hanger perpendicular to a moving direction of the hanger, and a work clamp provided on the hanger and connecting and fixing the work to the hanger. Means, a pair of clamp arms provided at a stop position of the hanger and opened and closed by opening and closing drive means in parallel with the movement direction of the hanger, and gripping and fixing the engaging pin when both clamp arms are closed. An air supply port provided at a grip portion of the clamp arm, one end of which is connected to air supply means; And an air passage provided in an engagement pin that is connected to the air supply passage, and when the air passage is connected to the air supply port, air supplied from air supply means through the air passage. A workpiece transfer device, comprising: a clamp release unit configured to release a clamp state of a workpiece clamp unit.