JP2612582B2 - Manipulator - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial application field) The present invention is used for a work loading / unloading device to a laser processing device or the like, and chucks and unchucks a work at a lowered position and suspends the work at a raised position. The present invention relates to a manipulator that moves in a lowered state.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in a manipulator of this type, a workpiece is gripped by various means such as a magnet chuck, a chuck arm or vacuum suction as a gripping member, and is conveyed in a suspended state at an ascending position. I have.

For example, in a case where a plurality of plate-like works are stacked on the work stocker side and then carried into and out of the processing apparatus while being held one by one, the work stocker side is driven up and down by a cylinder or the like to raise and lower the supporting body that supports the holding member. In order to flexibly adjust the descending height according to the pile height of the workpiece,
When the lifting / lowering body comes into contact with the worth during the downward movement, the descending operation of the lifting / lowering body is stopped by the contact pressure, so that the last work on the stocker can be reliably gripped and transported.

On the other hand, on the processing apparatus side, the height at which the elevating body for transferring or taking out the work should be lowered is always constant, and the work table of the processing apparatus has, for example, a member for supporting the bottom surface of the work at the time of cutting. A sword-shaped jig is used so as not to interfere with the processing line, and the jig is provided very coarsely especially at the center of the work.

For this reason, when the descent of the elevating body is stopped by contact with the workpiece as in the work stocker side,
Even after the holding member such as the magnet chuck contacts the work, the work is easily bent by the pressing force of the cylinder in the lowering operation direction, so that the elevating body is further lowered from the predetermined height. For this reason, there has been a problem that the workpiece is plastically deformed such as dented at the center portion pressed against the magnet, which hinders processing.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In order to solve such a problem, the elevating body is stopped at a predetermined height position, and the lowering limit of the elevating body is determined so that excessive pressure is not applied to the work. It is necessary to reliably stop at this height position.

To do this, simply raise an upward stopper on the work table of the processing device and stop it at a predetermined height by contacting it with a member that moves up and down integrally with it, such as an elevating body. Is possible.

However, if it is on the work table, it is necessary to provide a stopper at a place where the work does not rest, and as the size of the work is larger, a stopper must be provided at a location farther from the center of the table, and it is necessary to raise and lower A long arm or the like must also extend outward on the body side to form a contact surface with the stopper. In this case, the manipulator itself becomes very large, and there are problems such as a problem that it interferes with surrounding devices during transport and a danger in work.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In view of the above, the present invention provides a descent limit stopper on the manipulator main body side so that the descent height of the elevating body is not limited at the position where the descent height is not limited, and the processing apparatus side and the like are provided. In a position where the lowering height of the manipulator is fixed, the lowering limit stopper is operated to the operating position using the operation of the transport movement of the manipulator, so that the lowering of the elevating body can be reliably stopped with a simple structure. This makes it possible to suppress excessive contact pressure of the manipulator with the work, and to prevent deformation of the work such as dents and bending.

In addition, since the lower limit stopper is always located above the work and engages with the engaging element of the lifting / lowering body, the lower limit stopper can be compactly assembled at an appropriate position of the manipulator body regardless of the size of the work to be gripped. Thus, the manipulator itself can be formed slim without providing an extra protruding portion.

That is, the present invention provides a manipulator body that is moved along a transport path, a lifting body that is provided on the manipulator body so as to be movable up and down, and that supports a suction-type gripping member, and an engaging element provided on the lifting body, The manipulator body is displaceably supported by the manipulator body so as to be located above the workpiece suctioned and held by the holding member. The lower limit stopper retracted from the position below the engaging element in the inoperative position, the urging means for constantly urging and holding the lower limit stopper in the inoperative position, and a fixing unit on the transport path An abutment element for contacting the lower limit stopper when the manipulator main body is moved to a predetermined position and displacing the lower limit stopper to an operation position against the urging means. It is made of Te.

(Operation) When the manipulator is moved to a predetermined position on the processing device side, the descent limit stopper comes into contact with the fixed-side abutment in the middle of the movement, and the abutment is pressed against the urging means by the abutment as the manipulator moves. When the manipulator reaches a predetermined position, the manipulator is automatically displaced to the operating position. Here, the descending limit stopper is opposed to the engaging element of the elevating body so as to be engageable at a lower position. When the elevating body is lowered due to the work chuck and the unchuck, the engaging element of the elevating body comes into contact with the descent limit stopper at the set descent height, and the descent operation is regulated and stopped.

At this lower limit position, the workpiece is chucked or unchucked by the gripping member, and when the manipulator moves in the unloading direction while the elevating body is raised and held at the upper limit,
The lowering limit stopper is displaced by the urging means in a direction of releasing from the abutment, and is automatically returned to an inoperative position, that is, a state in which the lowering limit is not restricted.

Example Next, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an example of a work loading / unloading device, and mainly reciprocate along a work stocker 1, a processing device 2, a transport path 3 connecting the two, and the transport path 3. It comprises the manipulator 4 of the present invention.

The work stocker 1 includes, for example, a first storage unit 5 capable of stacking and storing a plurality of rectangular flat workpieces W, a second storage unit 6 for storing and positioning one work W, and a work W after processing. Are arranged in the indexing direction (Y direction in FIG. 2) orthogonal to the transport direction (X direction in FIG. 1). The base 8 is slidably provided in the indexing direction.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first storage section 5 and the third storage section 7 are provided on the stock table 9 with one side (the right side in FIG. 3) of the work W corresponding to the long side of the work. Corner guide members 10, 10 for aligning and guiding the corners at both ends are provided upright, and support shafts for preventing collapse on the other side (left side in FIG. 3).
11 and 11 are respectively set up at two places. A large number of workpieces W can be stored in a storage space formed between the stock table 9 and the pair of corner guide members 10, 10 and the pair of support shafts 11, 11, respectively. I have.

In addition, a stock table 9 is provided at the bottom of the first storage section 5.
The work presence / absence detection switch 12 is provided, and the work detection is performed when the bottom surface of the stored work W abuts.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the second storage section 6
A support plate 14 is fixed on the stock table 9 via a support member 13 at an intermediate position between the first storage portion 5 and the third storage portion 7.
The work table 16 is fixed via. On the upper surface of the work table 16, there is formed a sliding surface 17 that minimizes friction with the work W.

Positioning pins 18, 18 for determining the position of the work W in the indexing direction (Y direction) at two positions on one side (right side in FIG. 3) corresponding to the long side of the work on the work table 16.
Is one end side (upper side in FIG. 3) corresponding to the short side of the work
Positioning pins 19 for determining the position of the work W in the transport direction (X direction) are protruded from each other.

Further, a work positioning cylinder 20 in the indexing direction is mounted between the support plate 14 and the work table 16, and a plate 21 integrally connected to a piston rod 20a of the cylinder 20 is provided with the cylinder 20 and the cylinder 20. Two parallel reciprocating shafts 22, 22 are integrally connected. This each axis 2
2 and 22 are slidably supported in the indexing direction by slide bearings 23 fixed to the support plate 14, respectively. An engagement piece 24 is engaged with each of the reciprocating shafts 22 and 22 from the other side (left side in FIG. 3) with respect to the long side of the work to push the work W toward the positioning pins 18 and 18. , 24 are installed.

A positioning lever 26 is attached to the other end (lower side in FIG. 3) of the support plate 14 via a mounting member 25 so as to be swingable about a shaft 27. . The upper end of the positioning lever 26 corresponds to a position where it can be engaged with the work end face, and is pivotally driven by a work positioning cylinder 28 connected to the lower end in the transport direction. W is pushed toward the positioning pin 19.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the engagement pieces 24, 24 and the lever 26 are held at the standby positions separated from the workpiece W, respectively, at the forward limit of the cylinder 20 and at the backward limit of the cylinder 28. In this state, one work W can be stored in a storage space formed by the positioning pins 18, 18, 19, the engagement pieces 24, 24, and the lever 26 on the work table 16.

At the time of work positioning, the work W stored in the second storage portion 6 is moved by the simultaneous driving of the cylinders 20 and 28 by the engagement pieces 24 and 24 and the lever 26 in the indexing direction and the transport direction. Position the work W with the positioning pin 18,
The workpiece W is slid to a predetermined position where it comes into contact with the workpieces 18 and 19 to adjust the posture of the workpiece W.

The completion of the positioning of the work W is determined by the limit switch 29 provided on the work table 16 on the side of the positioning pins 18.
The detection is performed via the workpiece W by the limit switch 30 provided on the positioning pin 19 side. When the positioning is completed, the levers 26 of the engagement pieces 24, 24 are retracted to the standby position again.

The positions of these three storage sections 5, 6, and 7 can be indexed with respect to a work transfer position (F position) corresponding to a work chuck / unchuck position by the manipulator 4.

That is, the work stocker 1 is slidably engaged in the indexing direction along the guide rails 8a, 8a of the guide base 8 at the bottom thereof, and is provided by the variable speed motor 31 provided on the guide base 8 for driving stocker feed. It is screwed into a feed screw 32 that is driven to rotate via belt transmission,
The sheet is driven in the indexing direction. Then, by locating the positions of the work stocker 1 at three positions, each of the storage units 5, 6, and 7 corresponds to the work transfer position F, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 4, multiple switches S ₁ and S ₂ are attached to one side of the guide base 8 at one side of the work stocker 1 so as to face one side of the work stocker ₁ .
The S _2, respectively senses the deceleration and for position detection of the dog 33 and 34 provided on one side surface of the workpiece stocker 1,
After the motor 31 is decelerated, it is stopped at each indexing position. That is, the state shown in FIG. 4 is the intermediate position of the work stocker 1 where the second storage section 6 is indexed to the transport position F.

Work stocker 1 when (4 to FIG left) Recession, left switch S ₁ is respectively decelerating dog 33, the intermediate position indexing dog group D ₁ consisting position detection dog 34 or rear end indexing, by sensing the use dog group D _2, a motor 31
Is controlled, and the second storage unit 6 or the third storage unit 7 is respectively indexed to the transport position F.

When the work stocker 1 moves forward, the right switch S ₂ is an intermediate position index dog group D ₄ or a forward end index dog group D ₃ composed of a deceleration dog 33 and a position detection dog 34.
Is detected, the motor 31 is controlled, and the second storage unit 6 is controlled.
Alternatively, the first storage sections 5 are respectively indexed to the transport position F.

Further, at each indexing position, the retreating end and the advancing end are respectively connected to fixed stoppers 35, 36 fixed to both ends of the guide base 8 as shown in FIG. Are mechanically positioned at a predetermined indexing position by abutting each other.

In the intermediate position, as shown in FIG. 6, the work stocker 1 is mounted on two stoppers 40 or 41 provided on a stopper shaft 39 whose both ends are rotatably supported on the guide base 8 side.
By contacting the contact pieces 42 and 43 provided on the
It is mechanically positioned at a predetermined indexing position.

The two stoppers 40 and 41 are attached to each other at an angle with respect to the shaft 39, the shaft 39 is rotated by the cylinder 44, and when the work stocker 1 is retracted for intermediate positioning, the left stopper 40 And the right stopper 41 is retracted from the contact pieces 42 and 43, and when the work stocker 1 is moved forward for intermediate positioning, the right stopper 41 is moved to the other contact piece 43. And the left stopper 40 is retracted from the contact pieces 42 and 43. As a result, the intermediate position from the forward end and the intermediate position from the retracted end are reliably performed.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a portal stand 47 for supporting one end of the conveying path 3 on the side of the work stocker 1 is provided.
In the predetermined height position, photoelectric switches 45, 46,
The work W is provided so as to be spaced and opposed to both long side surfaces of the work W. At the indexing position of the first storage section 5, when two works W are lifted, for example, at the rising end of the manipulator 4, the photoelectric switches 45 and 46 are located at the height position of the second work W '. Therefore, when the second work W 'is at the height position, an abnormal state of the second work W' is detected.

Next, as shown in FIG. 9, the transport path 3 is formed by a transport rail 48 having a substantially I-shaped cross section provided between stands 47, 47 supporting both ends. On the rear side, roller chain guides 49, 49 are formed so as to protrude vertically.

As shown in FIG. 1, a variable speed motor 51 for manipulator feed drive is mounted on one end side of the transport rail 48 via a motor base 50. An endless roller chain 54 is suspended between a driving sprocket 52 coaxial with the motor 51 and a driven sprocket 53 pivotally supported on the other end of the transport rail 48 via a tension device (not shown). ing.

The roller chain 54 is slidably supported by roller chain guides 49, 49 above and below the transport rail 48, and
Is reciprocally rotated. A carrier 56 is connected to the lower part of the roller chain 54 via a connecting member 55.

The carrier 56 has an upper roller 57, a lower roller 58, and a side roller 59. The upper roller 57 is rotatably engaged with a guide groove 60 formed on the upper surface of the transport rail 48, and the lower roller 58 The roller 48 is rotatably engaged with a guide groove 61 formed on the lower surface of the rail 48, and the side roller 59 is
Is rotatably engaged with a shoulder 62 below. As a result, the carrier 56 reciprocates on the transport path 3 along the transport rail 48 while being slidably guided by the rollers 57, 58, 59 integrally with the roller chain 54.

A manipulator body 63 is integrally connected to the carrier 56. As shown in FIG.
An air cylinder 65 for driving the manipulator up and down is mounted via a cylinder bracket 64 at the center of the cylinder.

Further, a horizontal lifting arm 66 is integrally connected to the piston rod 65a of the cylinder 65, located below the main body 63. Up and down guide shafts 67 are slidably penetrated on both sides of the elevating arm 66, respectively.
At the lower ends of the pair of guide shafts 67, 67, a magnet holder 68 as an elevating body is fixed.

The guide shafts 67 are supported slidably in the vertical direction via linear ball bearings 69 mounted on the main body 63, respectively.

One guide shaft 67 has two dogs 7
The lower dog 71 is provided with a sleeve engaging recess 71a. Then, the sleeve 72 which is disengaged from the sleeve engaging concave portion 71a is
The guide shaft 67 is slidably penetrated through the sleeve 72 via a linear ball bearing 73.

Further, a spring receiver 74 is fixed to the magnet holder 68 so as to face below the sleeve 72, and the spring receiver 74 is fixed to the magnet holder 68.
A spring 75 is interposed between the sleeve and the sleeve 72.

In the other guide shaft 67, the lower dog 71
An engaging member 76 is attached at the same height position as above, a sleeve 77 engaged and disengaged by the engaging member 76 is fixed to the elevating arm 66, and is fixed to the magnet holder 68 in opposition to the sleeve 77. A spring 79 is interposed between the support 78 and the support 78.

That is, the elevating arm 66 and the magnet holder 68 are engaged with the engagement recess 71a and the sleeve 72, and the engagement member 76 and the sleeve 77.
Are connected elastically in the vertical direction via springs 75 and 79, respectively.

A limit switch 80 for detecting the lower limit of the manipulator on the processing device 2 side is attached to the side surface of the main body 63 so as to face the upper dog 70, and a work stocker is provided on the lifting arm 66 side facing the lower dog 71. A limit switch 81 for detecting the lower limit of the manipulator on one side is attached.

Two electromagnetic magnets 82, 82 are attached to the magnet holder 68 as suction-type gripping members, and the work W is chucked by excitation of the magnets 82, 82, and the work W is unchucked by non-excitation.

In a space between the two magnets 82, a sensor bracket 83 is attached to the magnet holder 68, and a work sensor 85 is supported by the sensor bracket 83 via a spring 84 so as to be vertically movable. A dog 86 is attached to the upper end of the work sensor 85. The dog 86 faces a work presence / absence detection limit switch 87 attached to the magnet holder 68 side.

Further, a hook operating plate 89 is fixed from both sides of the main body 63 via brackets 88, and corresponding to the lower portions of the pins 89a and 89a protruding from the operating plate 89, the magnet holder 68 is provided for preventing the work from falling. A pair of hooks 90, 90 are attached facing each other.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, each hook 90, 90 is provided with a shaft 1 projecting from a mounting plate 108 integral with the magnet holder 68.
It is swingably supported so that it can open and close according to fulcrums 09 and 109. The hooks 90, 90 are
9, 109 via torsion springs 110, 110 wound around
It is always urged in the opening direction as shown in FIG.

And only at the rising end position of the manipulator 4,
When the shoulders 90a, 90a of the hooks 90, 90 abut against the pins 89a, 89a of the hook operating plate 89, they are actuated in the direction to close each other as shown in FIG. It is held in a state where it can be held up from both sides without contact.

On the rear surface side of the main body 63, a lower limit stopper 92 for setting the lower limit of the manipulator is swingably mounted on the fulcrum pin 91 above the attracting surface of the magnet 82, and the lower limit stopper 92 is set at the operation / inactive position. It can be displaced. When the lower limit stopper 92 is in the operating position, the lower end locking portion 92a is in a downward facing relationship with the engaging element 93 projecting from the rear surface side of the magnet holder 68. In the inoperative position, the lower position of the engaging element 93 is lower. More evacuation.

The upper end of the lower limit stopper 92 is connected to the main body 63 via a tension spring 94 as an urging means.
It is urged clockwise as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 2, that is, held in the inoperative position.

Then, only when the manipulator 4 moves to the processing device 2 side, as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 10, the locking arm 92 moves to the fixed side of the work loading / unloading position (G position), which is the forward end position of the transport path 3. For example, by abutting against an abutment 95 protruding from the cable guide member 111, it is swung counterclockwise against the spring 94, displaced to the operating position, and the lower end stopper 92a of the lower limit stopper 92 is stopped. However, they face each other at a predetermined height position below the engagement element 93, and mechanically restrain the downward movement of the magnet holder 68 for a predetermined stroke or more.

Feed control dogs 96 and 97 are provided at both ends of the carrier 56 in the conveying direction, respectively.
6 and 97, a forward / deceleration limit switch 98 and a forward end detection limit switch 99 are provided at both end positions on the transport path 3 side and on the processing apparatus 2 side, respectively.
On the side, a reverse deceleration limit switch 100 and a reverse end detection limit switch 101 are provided.

Further, the contact plates 102, 102 provided on both end surfaces of the carrier 56 abut against both end stoppers 103, 103 provided on the conveying path 3 side, so that the manipulator 4 can determine the indexing position at both conveying ends, that is, the conveying position F. It is positioned at the carry-in / out position G.

Reference numeral 104 denotes a cable flexible duct for transmitting electric power to the manipulator 4.

In the present embodiment, for example, a laser processing machine is provided as the processing apparatus 2, and a slide table 105 that slides in parallel with the transport direction when loading and unloading a workpiece by the manipulator 4 is moved to a predetermined position shown in FIGS. Positioned at P.

For example, the product cut out by the cutting process is dropped below the slide table 105, and is conveyed by a not-shown conveyor device or the like onto a product conveying conveyor 106 installed in a direction orthogonal to the conveying path 3.

Then, the remaining material work W from which the product has been cut out is again carried out from the carry-in / out position G to the work stocker 1 side by the manipulator 4.

 Next, the work loading / unloading operation will be described.

The work stocker 1 sets the state where the third storage section 7 is indexed to the transfer position F as an original position, and in this original position, a large number of works W are transported by a forklift, a crane, or the like or by a worker. The sheets are supplied and stored in the first storage section 5 in a stacked and bundled state.

When the work W is stored in the first storage section 5, the work presence / absence detection switch 12 at the bottom of the first storage section 5 is turned on to detect the presence of the work. Therefore, the bundled string is released, and the work W can be taken out one by one.

The manipulator 4 is located at the retreat end in the transport direction, that is, at the transport position F on the work stocker 1 side, and the magnet 82
In a state of being raised without being excited.

When the work loading / unloading operation is started, first, the variable speed motor 31 is driven, and the work stocker 1 is moved through the feed screw 32.
From the original position (to the right in FIG. 4).

Right switch S ₂ is, the motor 31 by detecting a decelerating dog 33 of the dog group D ₃ is decelerated, the forward end detection dog
The motor 31 is stopped at the same time when the signal 34 is detected. At this time, the contact piece 38 contacts the fixed stopper 36 at the front end position, and the first storage section 5 is indexed to the transport position F.

Next, when the cylinder 65 of the manipulator 4 is operated and the piston rod 65a is advanced, the elevating arm 66 is lowered integrally with the piston rod 65a. This lifting arm
66 magnet holder 68, magnet 82 works W
As long as they do not come into contact with each other, the sleeves 72 and 73 are integrally operated by the engagement of the engagement concave portions 71a and the engagement members 76.

Shortly before the magnet 82 contacts the workpiece W, the workpiece sensor 85 contacts the workpiece surface. Then, the work sensor 85 is raised against the spring 84 with the descent, and the dog 86 of the work sensor 85 turns on the limit switch 87 at the same time when the magnet 82 comes into contact with the work surface, and the presence of the work is detected.

After that, the lifting arm 66 continues to descend further,
Regardless of the lowering of the lifting arm 66, the magnet holder
Since the lowering 68 is prevented by the contact between the magnet 82 and the work W, the springs 75 and 79 are compressed, and the guide shafts 67 and 67 move through the sleeves 72 and 77 while applying a contact pressure between the work and the work W. Slide the sleeve, as shown in Figure 12.
The engaging recess 71a and the engaging member 76 are relatively separated from the upper and lower portions 72 and 77, respectively.

As a result, the dog 71 turns on the limit switch 81, the magnet 82 is weakly excited, and the work W is chucked. In response to the work chuck completion timer signal, the cylinder 65 is switched and the manipulator 4 starts to rise.

When the work is chucked, the magnet 82 is set to such a magnetic force that only one work W can be attracted by voltage adjustment, so that the work W is always chucked one by one.

When the elevating arm 66 is raised, the sleeves 72 and 77 are engaged with the engagement concave portions 71a and the engagement members 76 again, and the magnet holder 68 is engaged.
Is also raised integrally. At this time, for example, a magnet
If the workpiece 82 has not chucked the workpiece W, the workpiece sensor 85 returns and turns off the limit switch 87, so that an abnormal state of the workpiece unchucking is detected and the interlock is established. The rising end is determined by the retreat limit of the cylinder 65, and the rising end detecting magnetic sensor 107 provided on the cylinder 65 is provided.
Is turned on, the rising edge is detected.

As a result, the magnet 82 is strongly excited, and chucks the work W more firmly. At the same time, the hooks 90, 90 are collated with the pins 89a, 89a of the operation plate 89 against the springs 110, 110, and are rotated in the closing directions to prepare for an emergency work unchuck at the manipulator rising end. I have.

In this state, the motor 31 starts driving, retracts the work stocker 1 (to the left in FIG. 4), and feeds and drives the work stocker 1 from the forward end to the intermediate position, that is, the position in FIG. At the same time, the stopper shaft 39 is rotated by the cylinder 44, and the stopper 40 is positioned at an operation position where the stopper 40 can be engaged with the contact piece 42.

When reversing, the switch S ₁ on the left side is the deceleration dog 33 of the dog group D ₁
, The motor 31 is decelerated, and the motor 31 stops by sensing the intermediate position detection dog 34.
At the same time, the contact plate 42 contacts the stopper 40, and the work stocker 1 is positioned at the intermediate position.
At the transport position F.

In this position, the cylinder 65 is operated, and the manipulator 4 is moved down while chucking one work W picked up from the first storage section 5. The movement of the lifting arm 66 and the magnet holder 68 at this time is the same as the above-described operation for the work chuck.

When the work W is placed on the work table 16 of the second storage section 6, the magnet 82 is de-energized by the limit switch 81, and the work W is unchucked. In response to the work unchuck completion timer signal, the cylinder 65 is switched, and the ascent operation of the manipulator 4 is started. This operation is the same as the above-described operation.

Since the work W is left in the second storage section 6, the work sensor 85 is returned by the rise of the magnet holder 68, the limit switch 87 is turned off, and it is confirmed that there is no work.

When the rising end of the manipulator 4 is detected, the work positioning cylinders 24 and 28 are operated, and the engagement pieces 24 and
24 slides the work W in the Y direction, and at the same time, the positioning lever 26 slides the work W in the X direction.
8, 18 and 19, respectively, and are positioned in a predetermined work posture (the posture shown in the second storage section 6 in FIG. 3). At this time, the completion of positioning is detected by the limit switches 29 and 30, the cylinders 20 and 28 are returned, and the engaging pieces 24 and 24 and the positioning lever 26 are retracted from the work W.

In this way, when the work positioning is completed, the manipulator 4 starts the lowering operation again, and the magnet 82 is strongly excited by the limit switch 81 which comes into contact with the work W, and the positioned work W on the second storage section 6 is moved. Chuck it. Then, the manipulator 4 is raised by the work chuck completion timer signal.

 Next, a work loading operation is started.

The variable speed motor 51 is driven, and the manipulator 4 is moved forward (to the right in FIG. 1) through the roller chain 54 toward the processing device 2. At this time, since the manipulator 4 holds the rising end, the hooks 90 also keep the closed state.

When the manipulator 4 approaches the carry-in / out position G on the processing device 2 side, the dog 96 turns on the deceleration limit switch 98, and after the motor 51 is decelerated, the dog 97 turns on the forward end detection limit switch 99. When the forward end is detected, the motor 51 is stopped. At the same time, the contact plate 102 of the manipulator 4 comes into contact with the stopper 103, and the manipulator 4 is positioned at the carry-in / out position G.

Further, one side of the lower limit stopper 92 is abutted against the contact 95, and the lower limit stopper 92 is rotated counterclockwise around the fulcrum pin 91 against the spring 94. That is,
10 As shown by the dotted line in FIG.
Of the magnet holder 68 is located below the engaging element 93 of the magnet holder 68, is held in the operating position, and determines the lowering limit of the magnet holder 68.

Then, the lowering operation of the manipulator 4 is started by the cylinder 65 from this state.

On the processing device 2 side, the slide table 105 is positioned at the predetermined position P, and a work clamp mechanism (not shown) is on standby in an unclamped state in which the work can be received.

Since the height position of the slide table 105 is constant and only one work W is placed on the slide table 105, the work W is placed on the slide table 105 by the magnet 82 when the work W is loaded or unloaded. In order to prevent the manipulator from being pressed, the descent height of the manipulator is preset by a descent limit stopper 92, and the descent operation of the manipulator is stopped at this set height position. That is, the lowering operation of the magnet holder 68 is mechanically prevented at a fixed height position by the engagement between the engagement element 93 and the lower limit stopper 92.

When the magnet holder 68 is lowered to the set height, the dog 70 of the guide shaft 67 turns on the limit switch 80, and when the lower limit of the manipulator is detected, the slide table 10 is moved.
The work clamp mechanism on the fifth side chucks the work W. At the same time, the magnet 82 is de-energized, and the manipulator 4 transfers the work W onto the slide table 105.

Then, the cylinder 65 is operated, and the manipulator 4 is raised.

The manipulator 4 is once moved backward to the work stocker 1 side, and on the processing device 2 side, the slide table 105 and the processing head H are controlled to move according to a predetermined processing program, and the work W is processed.

When the manipulator 4 is moved backward along the transport path 3 by the motor 51 and moves away from the carry-in / out position G, the lower limit stopper 92 is disengaged from the abutment 95, and is returned clockwise by the return force of the spring 94. It is rotated and returns to the original inoperative state where the lowering limit is not restricted.

Then, when approaching the transport position F on the work stocker 1 side, the dog 96 provided on the work stocker 1 turns on the deceleration limit switch 100, and the motor 51 is decelerated.
The motor 51 is stopped when 7 turns on the backward end detection limit switch 101. At the same time, the contact plate 102 of the manipulator 4 contacts the stopper 103 at the retracted end position,
The manipulator 4 is positioned at the transport position F.

During this backward movement of the manipulator 4, the first storage section 5 is again indexed on the work stocker 1 side. The work stocker 1 is advanced from the intermediate position, that is, the position shown in FIG. 4 (to the right in FIG. 4).

First, the positioning stoppers 40 and 41 at the intermediate position are released by the cylinder 44, and the work stocker 1 is fed forward by the variable speed motor 31. Right switch S ₂ is dog group
Work stocker 1 by detecting the D ₃ is indexed to the forward end position. Then, as in the description of the work positioning operation described above, the next work W from the first storage section 5 is moved to the second storage section 6 by the manipulator 4, and the work W is positioned.

After the work positioning is completed, the work stocker 1 is indexed to the retreat end position. The work stocker 1 is moved backward (leftward in FIG. 4) from the intermediate position, that is, the position shown in FIG.

First, the positioning stoppers 40 and 41 at the intermediate position are released by the cylinder 44, and the work stocker 1 is fed forward by the variable speed motor 31. Approaches the forward limit, the left switch S ₁ is detected deceleration for dog 33 of the dog group D _2, a motor
When the speed of the motor 31 is reduced and the position detecting dog 34 is detected, the motor 31 is stopped. At this time, the work stocker 1 is positioned at a predetermined indexing position by the contact piece 37 contacting the fixed stopper 35. Thereby, the third storage section 7 is indexed to the transport position F. The manipulator 4 holds the rising end in the work unchuck state and waits at the transfer position F until the processing of the preceding work W is completed.

When the processing of the preceding work W is completed on the processing device 2 side, the manipulator 4 is moved forward and moved to the carry-in / out position G on the processing device 2 side. At this time, the manipulator 4
The lower limit stopper 92 is operated by the moving operation of. The remaining work W after processing is on a slide table 10.
While being clamped on 5, it is positioned at a predetermined position P together with the slide table 105.

 Thereby, the unloading operation is started.

When the manipulator 4 is lowered to the set height position and stopped by the cylinder 65 and the lower limit stopper 92, the magnet 82 is strongly excited by the limit switch 80 and the work W
Chuck. At this time, the clamp mechanism on the slide table 105 side becomes an unchuck, and the manipulator 4
The work W is delivered.

From this state, the manipulator 4 is raised by the work chuck timer signal, and when it reaches the rising end, the hooks 90, 90
Is actuated in the closing direction by the pins 89a, 89a.

Then, the manipulator 4 is moved backward along the transport path 3 by the motor 51 via the roller chain 54 while chucking the work W, and unloads the work W from the processing apparatus 2 side. When the manipulator 4 is at the retreat end position, that is, the transfer position F
When the operation is stopped, the manipulator 4 starts descending toward the third storage section 7 which is indexed to the transport position F, and the work W carried out from the processing apparatus 2 is moved downward.
Into the third storage unit 7. Limit switch 81
When it is turned on, the magnet 82 is de-energized and serves as a work unchuck to transfer the work W to the third storage unit 7.

Then, the manipulator 4 moves upward, and the work stocker 1 is again indexed to the intermediate position.

In this case, is rotated to the working position to be opposed to one of the stopper 41 to the contact piece 43 by the cylinder 44, the right side of the switch S ₂ is dog group by forward feeding of the workpiece stocker 1
By detecting the D ₄ is the motor 31 stopped through the motor speed reduction, by abutting piece 43 of the workpiece stocker 1 is brought into contact with the stopper 41 at the same time, the positioning of the intermediate positions is completed.

The manipulator 4 takes out the next work W whose positioning has been completed from the second storage section 6 and carries out the work loading operation to the processing device 2 in the same order as described above. A series of operations of positioning the next work W on the first side and carrying out the work from the processing device 2 when the processing is completed are repeated.

Each time the workpiece W is carried out of the first storage section 5, the work stacking height in the first storage section 5 and the third storage section 7 changes. Since the limit is adjusted by the contact of the magnet 85 with the work W and the action of the limit switch 80 at that time, that is, the work stacking height, the chuck and unchuck can be reliably performed to the final work W. It has become.

In this way, when all the works W in the first storage section 5 have been processed and all of the works W have been stored in the third storage section 7, the work stocker 1 is indexed to the forward end position. .

Then, the worker stacks the work W in the third storage section 7.
And transport it to another collection location with a forklift or crane.

In this embodiment, the magnet chuck is used as the gripping means.
Although 82 is used, it is also possible to use vacuum suction means or the like.

Further, the lower limit stopper 92 is not limited to the form shown in the above embodiment, and, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, the direction of the lower end locking portion 192a of the lower limit stopper 192 is reversed,
A swing fulcrum 191 is provided at the other end, and a tension spring 194 is connected to the intermediate portion, and the contact 195 is received at the right side of the intermediate portion while constantly biasing in the counterclockwise inoperative direction. Well, a lower limit stopper 292 as shown in FIG. 14 is provided slidably in the lateral direction with respect to the manipulator body 63 at a set height position of the lower limit of the manipulator,
The compression spring 294 or the like always urges and holds it to the right, and uses the moving operation of the manipulator 4 to the right to push the manipulator 4 to the left relative to the manipulator body 63 by the fixed contact member 295. The present invention is the same as a structure for displacing the lower limit stopper using a cam plate or the like of various shapes provided along the moving direction of the manipulator 4, such as a structure for displacing to an operation position facing the engaging element 93. It shall include all the other deformation structures on the design change that works.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, a descent limit stopper is provided on the manipulator main body side, and is held at an inoperative position at a position where the descent height of the elevating body is not limited, and the processing device side In a position where the descending height is limited, such as the above, the lower limit stopper is operated to the operating position by using the operation of the transport movement of the manipulator, so that a dedicated driving means is provided with a simple structure. The descent limit stopper can be operated without causing the descent of the lifting / lowering body to be stopped at the predetermined height position reliably in the operation position, and the suction type gripping member provided on the lifting / lowering body can be used to press the work with excessive contact pressure. This prevents deformation of the work, such as dents and bending.

In any of the ascending position and the descending position, the descending limit stopper engages with the engaging element of the elevating body at an upper position that does not interfere with the work regardless of the size of the work to be gripped. The stopper can be compactly assembled at the appropriate position of the manipulator body, and the manipulator itself can be formed slim without providing a long protruding part on the side of the manipulator, and the work safety during transportation etc. can be secured. It is.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a work loading / unloading device according to the present invention, FIG.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the work stocker, FIG.
4 is a side view of the same as viewed from the direction A in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a side view of the same as viewed in the direction B of FIG. 3, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. The figure is a side view of the two-sheet pick-up detection unit,
FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the same main part, FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the transport path and the manipulator viewed from the transport direction, FIG. 10 is a front view of the manipulator located at the loading / unloading position and at the rising end, FIG.
FIG. 12 is a side view of a main part showing a hook releasing operation when the manipulator is lowered and an operation state of a descent limit stopper. FIG. 12 is a side view of a main part showing a manipulator descent limit detection state.
FIG. 14 and FIG. 14 are front views showing another embodiment of the lower limit stopper. 3 ... Conveying path, 4 ... Manipulator, 63 ... Manipulator body, 68 ... Magnet holder as elevating body, 82
... A magnet as a gripping member, 92 a lower limit stopper, 93 an engagement element, 94 a tension spring as an urging means, 95 an abutment element, and W a workpiece.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A manipulator body that is moved along a transport path, an elevating body that is provided on the manipulator body so as to be able to move up and down, and that supports a suction-type holding member; an engaging element provided on the elevating body; The manipulator body is displaceably supported by the manipulator main body so as to be located above the workpiece suctioned and held by the member. The lower limit stopper which is restricted and retracted from the position below the engaging element in the inoperative position, an urging means for constantly urging and holding the lower limit stopper at the inoperative position, and An abutment element for contacting the lower limit stopper when the manipulator body is moved to a predetermined position and displacing the lower limit stopper to an operation position against the urging means. Manipulator and butterflies.