JP2685188B2 - Conveyor device for vehicle assembly line - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention relates to a transportation device for a vehicle assembly line that transports a workpiece along a set route when performing assembly work on a workpiece such as a vehicle body in a vehicle assembly line. Regarding (Prior Art) In a vehicle assembly line in which a vehicle body that has been painted is transported along a set route and various components are attached to the transported vehicle body, the vehicle body is generally assembled. Is hung on a hanger or the like provided on the conveying means such as an overhead conveyor, and intermittently conveyed to the work station by a predetermined pitch along the route set by the conveyer, with respect to the vehicle body carried into the work station. Then, a work of mounting so-called lower parts such as an engine unit and a suspension unit with nuts or the like is performed. In this way, the work of attaching the lower parts by using nuts or the like to the vehicle body carried into the work station is usually performed manually by the operator, but such complicated lower parts are It has been considered to introduce an automated work station (hereinafter, referred to as an automation station) into a vehicle assembly line, which allows an automatic assembly device such as a robot to automatically perform a mounting operation such as. (Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in a vehicle assembly line including a transporting means and a work station, when a new automation station is introduced, the setting of the vehicle body transport path is changed, and The position of an automatic assembly apparatus, which is installed in a newly introduced automation station and which attaches lower parts and the like to a vehicle body, must be newly set with respect to a vehicle body transported along an existing transportation route. for that reason,
When a new automation station is introduced to the vehicle assembly line, the vehicle assembly line is stopped for a relatively long time, which causes a problem that the productivity of the vehicle is reduced. Incidentally, in the vehicle assembly line, as the transport means used to transport the vehicle body along the set route, in addition to the overhead conveyor as described above, for example, it is also described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-1326. There is a unitized transfer device as described above. When such a unitized transfer device is used in a vehicle assembly line, the setting of the transfer route of the vehicle body can be easily changed, and therefore, a new work station can be relatively easily introduced into the vehicle assembly line. be able to. However, even in a vehicle assembly line where such a unitized transfer device is used to transport a vehicle body, if the newly introduced work station is an automation station, it is newly introduced. It is necessary to set the position of the automatic assembly device with respect to the car body carried into the automation station,
The disadvantage is that the vehicle assembly line must be stopped for a relatively long time during which such position setting is performed. In view of such a point, the present invention, when a new automated work station is introduced into a vehicle assembly line,
The position of the automatic assembly device for the work carried into the work station to be introduced can be easily set, and the time for stopping the vehicle assembly line can be shortened. It is an object of the present invention to provide a carrier device for a line. (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a transfer device for a vehicle assembly line according to the present invention constitutes a unit structure arranged at a work station installed in a vehicle assembly line, A first position-regulating structure that sets a conveyance path for a work that is carried into the station, and a first structure that is integrally formed with the first position-regulating structure and that forms a unit structure together with the first position-regulating structure. The second position regulation structure is configured to include a second position regulation structure and a connecting member provided in the unit structure, and the second position regulation structure is conveyed along the conveyance path set by the first position regulation structure. It is supposed that the position of the automatic assembly device that automatically performs the assembly work for the work to be set with respect to the work placed on the transport path is set, and the connecting member is the unit structure as the work station. When a plurality of units are arranged in a row, the first position control structures in each of the adjacent unit structures are interconnected, and a series of connected transport paths are set by the interconnected first position control structures. It is said to be in a state of being. (Operation) In the transfer device for the vehicle assembly line according to the present invention having the above-described structure, the transfer path set by the first position control structure forming the unit structure arranged in the work station For workpieces that are transported along
Under the condition that the position with respect to the work placed on the conveyance path is set by the second position regulating structure that is integrally formed with the first position regulating structure and constitutes the unit structure together with the first position regulating structure. Assembling work is automatically performed by the automatic assembling apparatus. When a plurality of unit structures formed by the first and second position restricting structures are arranged in the work station, each of the unit structures adjacent to each other is connected by the connecting member provided in each unit structure. The first position regulating structures in are interconnected, and the transport path set by each of the interconnected first position regulating structures is a series of coupled transport paths. In this way, even if a series of linked transport paths formed by the first position regulating structure interconnected in this way is set, the work transported along the series of linked transport paths, Automatic assembly in which a position for a work placed on a series of connected transport paths is set by a second position control structure integrally formed with each of the first position control structures interconnected Assembly work by the device will be performed automatically. By doing so, when a new work station equipped with an automatic assembling device is introduced into the vehicle assembly line, the unit structure arranged at the work station is, for example, a plurality of unit structures, The work station can be easily introduced in a short period of time, the position of the automatic assembling device can be easily set for the work carried into the work station, and the time during which the vehicle assembly line is stopped is significantly shortened. . Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows a simplified partial configuration of an automated vehicle assembly line to which a vehicle body transfer device according to the present invention is applied. In such a vehicle assembly line, the vehicle body VB is conveyed to the station St1 by a conveying means such as an overhead type trolley conveyor as shown by a solid arrow, and at the station St1, from the overhead type trolley conveyor or the like. It is transferred to a predetermined dolly and is in a state of being supported by the dolly. Then, the vehicle body VB placed on the trolley at the station St1 is transported to the station St2 by the trolley, and from the state of being placed on the trolley at the station St2, placed on the movable support portion installed at the station St2. To be in a state. At the station St2, the vehicle body VB supported by the movable support portion
However, it is assumed that the position and orientation of the vehicle are detected by the visual sensor arranged at the station St2, and the movable support portion is driven based on the detection output of the visual sensor, so that the position and orientation of the vehicle body VB are appropriate. Is adjusted to Further, the vehicle body VB whose position and attitude have been adjusted is supported by the elevating arm member of the vehicle body elevating / conveying mechanism including the elevating arm member movably attached to the fixed portion. The vehicle body VB supported by the elevating arm member is lifted from the movable supporting portion by the ascending movement and horizontal movement of the elevating arm member, and is conveyed to the station St3. To the station St3, a pallet PL in which lower parts such as an engine unit and a suspension unit to be attached to the vehicle body VB are arranged is supplied from the station St7 as indicated by a broken line,
The vehicle body VB conveyed from the station St2 by the lifting arm member moves the pallet PL by the lowering motion of the lifting arm member.
It will be placed in the state. After that, the pallet PL was moved from the station St3 to the station St4, and the pallet PL was moved accordingly.
The vehicle body VB placed on the vehicle is transported to the station St4. At the station St4, the underbody parts such as the engine unit and the suspension unit arranged on the pallet PL are mechanically attached to the vehicle body VB.
The vehicle body VB to which the lower parts are attached is subsequently transported to the station St5 along with the pallet PL, and at the station St5, various parts such as tires, seats, bumpers, and windshields are attached, and then, Transported to station St6. At station St6, the vehicle body VB is pallet PL
Then, it is conveyed by an overhead type trolley conveyor type conveying means, for example. Further, the pallet PL separated from the vehicle body VB at the station St6 is transported to the station St7,
The pallet PL, which has been newly supplied with the lower parts at the station St7 and has the lower parts arranged thereon, is supplied from the station St7 to the station St3. In the vehicle assembly line in which a plurality of work stations are installed as described above, the station St4 in which the lower parts are attached by mechanical work is constructed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Station St4, shown in Figures 1 and 3,
Mainly, a carrier base 26 that sets a carrier path of the pallet PL in which the lower parts such as the engine unit 20, the front suspension unit 22 and the rear suspension unit 23 that are to be attached to the vehicle body VB are set,
A frame 29 fixed to the transport base 26 and supporting it,
A unit structure 100 that includes a guide support member 30 that is integrally formed with the transport base 26 via a frame 29 and that sets the position of the robot 28 for mounting the lower parts to the vehicle body VB with respect to the vehicle body VB. Is installed. Under such a condition, with the vehicle body VB carried into the station St4 as a work, the carrying base 26 forms a first position restricting structure for setting a carrying route of the work carried to the work station. . In addition, the guide support member 30 is integrally formed with the transfer base 26 that is the first position restriction structure to set the position of the robot 28 that is the automatic assembly device with respect to the work on the transfer path. Forming a position regulation structure. The carrier base 26 in the unit structure 100 is a pallet PL
A pair of vertical members 24 arranged parallel to each other along the transport path, a pair of horizontal members 25 connecting the pair of vertical members 24, and a pair of vertical members 24 erected on the pair of vertical members 24 so that the leading ends thereof are transport bases. It is supported by a frame 29 formed by a plurality of columns 27 fixed to a table 26. The transport base 26 includes a pair of guide members 3
2 and pallet P composed of rollers 34 and 36
A guide path 31 for guiding L is provided. A rack 38 extending along the guide path 31 is arranged on the upper surface of the transport base 26. The guide support member 30 integrally formed with the transport base 26 via the frame 29 is provided with a main body portion 30a whose both ends are fixed to the horizontal member 25 of the frame 29 and a top surface of the main body portion 30a. The robot 28 includes a guide portion 30b that engages with a base 28a of the robot 28 and sets a movement path of the robot 28. On the other hand, on the pallet PL whose transport path is set by the transport base 26, the component mounting table section 50 on which the engine unit 20 and the front suspension unit 22 are mounted and the rear suspension unit 23 are arranged. A placed parts placement table portion 51 is provided. Then, the pallet PL is placed on a large number of rollers 34 arranged on the bottom of the guide path 31 formed on the conveyance base 26, and the side surface of the pallet PL is arranged by the rollers 36 arranged on the side wall of the guide path 31. It is supposed to be guided. The side surface of the pallet PL is provided with a drive mechanism 42 including a pinion that meshes with a rack 38 arranged on the upper surface of the transfer base 26, a motor that rotates the pinion, and the like. The drive mechanism 42 moves the pallet PL along the guide path 31 by operating the motor thereof. As a result, the vehicle body VB positioned and supported on the pallet PL by the plurality of columnar vehicle body supporting portions 40 provided so as to project upward from the pallet PL is conveyed along the guide path 31. The component mounting table portion 50 provided on the pallet PL is provided with a support portion 53 supported by a support plate 52 arranged on the front side of the pallet PL, and an end face plate 54 on the support portion 53,
A first slide table 55 that is translated in a direction along the transport direction of the vehicle body VB, and a first slide table 55 that is arranged on the first slide table 55 and is translated in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the vehicle body VB. Two slide tables 56 are provided, and the engine unit 20 and the front suspension unit 22 are directly supported by the second slide table 56. On the second slide table 56, inserted into the reference hole provided in the vehicle body VB, the engine unit 20 and the front
Positioning pins, which play a role in positioning the suspension unit 22 with respect to the vehicle body VB, are fixed via the support portion. Further, a support plate 52 that is arranged on the front side of the pallet PL and that supports the support column portion 53 of the component placement table portion 50.
In addition, a plurality of nut runner sockets 59 used for attaching the engine unit 20 and the front suspension unit 22 to the vehicle body VB are supported upward. These nutrunner sockets 59
The upper end of each of the
Through the through hole provided in the slide table 56. The component placement table unit 51 is the component placement table unit described above.
It has the same configuration as that of the component placement table portion 50 in FIG.
The same reference numerals as those of the respective parts are attached and shown, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In the component mounting table portions 50 and 51 configured as described above, the vehicle body VB is supported by the columnar vehicle body supporting member 40 projecting upward from the pallet PL on the pallet PL at the station St3 shown in FIG. The engine unit 20 and the front suspension unit 22 or the rear suspension mounted on the second slide table 56 when being lowered toward the pallet PL so as to be in the mounted state.・ Unit 23
In order to avoid a situation in which the vehicle makes an undesired contact with the vehicle body VB,
The first slide table 55 is moved relative to the end plate 54 in the direction along the conveyance direction of the vehicle body VB by a slide table drive means (not shown), and the second slide table 56 is moved to the first slide table 56. Slide table
It is moved relative to 55 in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the vehicle body VB. Then, when the vehicle body VB is finally supported by the columnar vehicle body supporting member 40 protruding upward from the pallet PL, a positioning pin fixed on the second slide table 56 is provided on the vehicle body VB. It is designed to be inserted into the designated reference hole. It should be noted that, as the component mounting tables 50 and 51 as described above, a plurality of types corresponding to the type of the vehicle body VB transported on the vehicle assembly line are prepared, and the vehicle body VB placed on the pallet PL is prepared. The component placement table portions 50 and 51 arranged on the pallet PL can be replaced appropriately according to the type of the. The robot 28 includes a support 74 and a support 74 that are erected on the base 28a.
A first arm 76a that is attached to the first arm 76a and is horizontally rotatable, and a second arm 76b that is attached to the first arm 76a and horizontally rotatable. A nut runner 72 is attached to the tip of the second arm 76b. The upper end portion of the nut runner 72 can be engaged with the lower end portion of the nut runner socket 59 arranged in association with the component mounting table portions 50 and 51. In the work station St4, unit structures 100 ′ and 100 ″ having the same structure as the unit structure 100 are arranged before and after the unit structure 100 having the above-described structure, and the transport base 26 and the units in the unit structure 100 are arranged. The transport base 26 ′ in the structure 100 ′, the transport base 26 in the unit structure 100 and the transport base 26 ″ in the unit structure 100 ″ are connected to each other via the connecting member 39. Thus, the unit The transfer paths of the pallets PL in the structures 100, 100 'and 100 "form a series of connected transfer paths. Further, at both end portions of the guide portion 30b of the guide supporting member 30 in the unit structure 100, the ends of the guide portion 30b 'of the guide supporting member 30' in the unit structure 100 'and the guide supporting member 30 in the unit structure 100 "are provided. The ends of the "guides 30b" are engaged with each other, whereby the guides 30b, 30b 'and 3 in the unit structures 100, 100' and 100 "are engaged.
A series of 0b ″ is set to set the movement path of the robot 28. The station St4 in which such a unit structure 100 is installed
At, for the vehicle body VB placed on the pallet PL,
When the lower parts such as the engine unit 20, the front suspension unit 22 and the rear suspension unit 23 are attached, first, at the station St3 shown in FIG. The engine unit 20 and the front suspension unit 22 are arranged, and the vehicle body VB is mounted on the pallet PL in which the rear suspension unit 23 is mounted on the component mounting table portion 51. The pallet PL on which the vehicle body VB is placed is transferred from the station St3 to the transfer base 26 ″ through the transfer base 26 ″ in the station St4 by the operation of the drive mechanism 42 provided therein.
It is supposed to reach the top. Then, the pallet PL loaded into the station St4 in this way is transferred to the station St4.
When stopped at, the robot 28 moves along a guide support member 30 formed integrally with the transfer base 26, and is positioned below, for example, the component mounting table section 50 arranged on the pallet PL. . In such a state, the upper end portion of the nut runner 72 attached to the second arm 76b of the robot 28 is engaged with the lower end portion of the nut runner socket 59 arranged in relation to the component mounting table section 50. After that, the nut runner 72 is operated. As a result, the engine unit 20 and the front suspension unit 22 are attached to the vehicle body VB by the nut held on the upper end portion of the nut runner socket 59. And the robot 28
Moves below the component placement table 51 along the guide support member 30, and is attached to the lower end of the nut runner socket (not shown in FIG. 3) arranged in relation to the component placement table 51. After the upper end of the nut runner 72 is engaged,
When the nut runner 72 is operated, the rear
The suspension unit 23 is attached to the vehicle body VB with a nut. As described above, when the robot 28 automatically performs the work of mounting the lower parts to the vehicle body VB,
The robot 28 is configured to be moved along the guide support member 30 formed integrally with the transfer base 26, so that the vehicle body VB placed on the pallet PL and carried into the station St4, The position of the robot 28 is easily set. (Effects of the Invention) As is apparent from the above description, according to the vehicle assembly line carrier device of the present invention, the first position regulation for setting the work carrier path at the work station installed in the vehicle assembly line. Assembling work by the automatic assembling device for the work carried along the carrying route set by the first position regulation structure while the structure is arranged is
The second position regulation structure integrally formed with the position regulation structure of (1) is performed while the position of the automatic assembly device is set with respect to the work placed on the transport path. Moreover, when a plurality of unit structures are continuously arranged by the connecting member provided in the unit structure formed by the first and second position restriction structures, the first position restriction structure in each unit structure adjacent to each other. The bodies are interconnected,
A series of connected transport paths are set by the first position regulating structures that are interconnected with each other. Even when such a series of connected transfer paths is set, the assembly work by the automatic assembling device for the work transferred along the series of connected transfer paths is performed by each of the interconnected first position regulating structures. By the second position regulating structure integrally formed, the position of the automatic assembling apparatus is set with respect to the works placed on the series of the connecting and conveying paths. Therefore, when a work station newly equipped with an automatic assembly device is introduced into a vehicle assembly line, even if a plurality of unit structures are arranged at the work station, the work station can be installed in a short time. And easy to do,
The position of the automatic assembly device with respect to the conveyed work can be easily set, and the time for which the vehicle assembly line is stopped is significantly shortened. Further, since the automatic assembly device is arranged on the second position regulating structure integrally formed with the first position regulating structure,
The space required for disposing the vehicle assembly line is reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a transfer device for a vehicle assembly line according to the present invention, together with a vehicle body transferred by the transfer device, and FIG. 2 is applied to the example shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the vehicle assembly line, and FIG. 3 is a side view including a partial fracture surface showing the example shown in FIG. In the figure, 26, 26 'and 26 "are transport bases, 28 is a robot, 30,
30 'and 30 "are guide support members, 34 and 36 are rollers, 38 is a rack, 39 is a connecting member, 42 is a drive mechanism, 100, 100' and 1
00 ″ is a unit structure, VB is a vehicle body, and PL is a pallet.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A first position regulation structure that constitutes a unit structure arranged in a work station installed in a vehicle assembly line and sets a conveyance path of a work carried in to the work station, and the first position regulation structure And an automatic assembling apparatus that automatically forms an assembly operation for a workpiece that is formed along with a conveyance path set by the first position regulating structure to integrally form the unit structure. A second position regulating structure for setting a position with respect to a work on a path; and a plurality of the unit structures that are provided in the unit structure and are arranged in the working station, the unit structure being adjacent to each other. A state in which the first position regulating structures are interconnected, and a series of connected transport paths are set by the interconnected first position regulating structures. Conveying device configured vehicle assembly line and a connecting member having a.