JP2838470B2 - Hose-shaped member assembling method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an assembling method and an apparatus for assembling a hose-like member such as a rubber hose and a clip for fastening a hose to an assembling portion such as an engine unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In assembling hoses of an engine unit, a rubber hose is attached to a portion to be assembled, and claw portions projecting radially outward at both ends as shown in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 64-29591. In the free state, when both ends are stopped by a clip formed by an annular leaf spring overlapping each other along the circumferential direction, the clip is passed through a rubber hose in advance and the rubber hose is attached to the part to be assembled together with the rubber hose in an expanded state. Conventionally, the work of assembling the clip with the rubber hose while keeping the clip in the opened state has to be manually performed by an operator, and cannot be automated.

[0003]

At present, the work of assembling a rubber hose or the like together with the clip must be performed manually as described above, and therefore, this part cannot be automated in assembling the engine unit and the like. There is.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to automatically and continuously attach a hose-shaped member and a clip for stopping the hose-shaped member without manual assembling. Aim.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is formed by an annular leaf spring having radially outwardly projecting claws at both ends and having both ends overlapping each other along a circumferential direction in a free state. The present invention provides an assembling method for automatically and continuously assembling a hose-shaped member using a clip, wherein the clip is advanced left and right simultaneously and a pair of pushes for expanding the clip by pressing a claw portion. While being held in the expanded state by the clip supply device provided with the pins, the hose-shaped member is gripped by the gripper of the assembling robot, and the gripper is moved to insert the tip of the hose-shaped member into the expanded clip. The clip is supported by the grip portion while being expanded, and the grip portion is moved to the portion to be assembled while holding the hose-shaped member and the clip, and the hose-shaped portion is attached to the assembly portion. After inserting the, and characterized in that the clip to open the gripping portion mounted on the hose-like member.

In the above assembling method, the assembling robot uses an assembling robot that supports two sets of holding portions each having a fixed distance between the holding centers via a floating mechanism that can be fixed at an arbitrary position. A hose-shaped member and a clip are held by one gripping part of the assembling robot, the part to be assembled is gripped by the other gripping part of the assembling robot, and the floating mechanism is fixed at that position, The gripping of the gripping portions of the gripping portions is released from the gripping portion holding the hose-shaped member and the clip in the direction of the other gripping portion while releasing the gripping of the mounted portion and fixing the floating mechanism. By moving the hose-like member and the clip by moving the same by the distance between them, so that the gripping portion is aligned with the assembled portion. Rukoto can, thereby, allows a hose-like member be easily centering of the center position of the hose-like member and the attaching portions when assembled to part with the assembly.

The assembling apparatus used in the above-mentioned assembling method is an annular leaf spring having a hose-like member at both ends and having radial claws at both ends so that both ends overlap each other along a circumferential direction in a free state. And a clip supply device capable of holding the clip in an expanded state by a pair of push pins that are simultaneously advanced left and right, and a release groove for releasing the push pin. It has a holding groove to hold the claw part of the clip in the expanded state,
While holding the hose-shaped member, receiving the clip in the expanded state from the clip supply device, holding it around the hose-shaped member, inserting the hose-shaped member into the part to be assembled, and then expanding the clip so that the hose is opened. And an assembling robot having a gripper configured to be mounted on the shaped member.

[0008] In the above assembling apparatus, as a means for detecting an improper insertion (turning-up or the like) of the hose-like member, the hose-like member may be inserted into the part to be assembled by the gripping part of the assembling robot. Means for detecting a force may be provided.

Further, in the case of an assembling apparatus for performing the above-described method for centering the center position between the hose-shaped member and the to-be-attached portion, the assembling robot includes a gripper for holding the hose-shaped member and the clip. In addition to having a gripping part for positioning, supporting these two sets of gripping parts via a floating mechanism that can be fixed at an arbitrary position, and gripping the to-be-attached part by the gripping part for positioning, After fixing the floating mechanism at that position, the gripping of the assembled portion is released, and the hose-shaped member and the clip are gripped while the floating mechanism is fixed. By moving the gripping portion by the distance between the gripping centers, the gripping portion that grips the hose member and the clip can be positioned in a centered state with respect to the assembled portion. .

[0010]

When the pair of pressing pins of the clip supply device advance simultaneously from right and left to press the claws at both ends of the clip, the clip is opened and held in that state.
Further, the hose-shaped member is gripped by the gripper of the assembling robot. Then, the gripping part moves and the tip of the hose-shaped member is inserted into the clip held in the expanded state by the clip supply device. At this time, the clip moves from the clip supply device to the gripping part and is supported in the expanded state. You. Then, the gripping portion supporting the expanded clip on the outer periphery of the distal end portion of the hose-shaped member is moved to the to-be-attached portion, and the hose-like member is moved to the to-be-attached portion. The support is released by the insertion and subsequent opening of the grip, and the clip is attached to the hose-like member.

In the case where an assembling robot that supports two sets of holding portions each having a fixed distance between the holding centers via a floating mechanism that can be fixed at an arbitrary position is used, one of the assembling robots is used. The gripper holds the hose-shaped member and the clip as described above, and then the other gripper of the assembly robot grips the assembly target. Then, the floating mechanism is fixed at that position, and then the gripping of the to-be-attached part is released, and the assembling robot holds the hose-like member and the clip from the gripping part to the other gripping part while the floating mechanism is fixed. Is moved by the distance between the grip centers of both grip portions in the direction of. By such an operation of the assembling robot, the hose-shaped member and the to-be-attached portion are positioned so that the center positions thereof are aligned with each other, and the hose-shaped member can be easily inserted into the to-be-attached portion.

The release groove of the gripping portion of the assembling robot has a function of releasing the push pin of the clip supply device, which presses the claw portion of the clip when the gripping portion inserts the tip of the hose-like member into the clip, The holding groove of the grip portion holds the claw portion of the clip held in an expanded state by the clip supply device. By these actions, the clip can be supported by the grip portion in the expanded state.

Further, the means for detecting a poor insertion of the hose-shaped member detects an insertion force when the hose-shaped member is inserted into the part to be assembled. If the detected insertion force is excessive, the hose-shaped member is detected. Detects occurrence of mounting failure such as turning over.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an overall layout of a hose assembling apparatus for an engine unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a conveyor line for flowing the engine unit E at predetermined intervals from left to right in the direction of the arrow in the figure. Above the conveyor line 1, a ceiling-suspended 6-axis multi-joint assembling robot 2 is disposed at a predetermined hose assembling position. In the above-mentioned assembling position, the hose supply conveyor 3 is installed at right angles to the flow direction of the conveyor line 1, and a clip supply magazine 4 is provided on one side of the hose supply conveyor 3, and clips are supplied from the magazine 4. A clip supply device 5 for receiving and supplying the same to the assembling unit is provided, and a tank circulation type insertion aid for storing an insertion aid such as soapy water to be applied at the time of assembling the hose on the opposite side of the hose supply conveyor 3. A tank 6 is provided.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the clip supply device 5,
FIG. 3 is a front view of the same. The clip supply device 5 includes a table 7, a clip receiving table 8 which is vertically movable through the center of the table 7, and a base 10 which supports the table 7 via columns 9 at four corners. The base 10
A lifting cylinder 11 fixed to the center of the table and driving the clip receiving table 8 up and down; a pair of pushing cylinders 12 and 12 installed at both right and left ends of the table 7; Push pin 13, which can be pushed out toward the center of the table 7 at the same time,
13, a pair of base guides 14, 14, which respectively guide the base guide portions 13 a, 13 a of the right and left push pins 13, 13 a from both sides in the pushing direction, and the distal ends of the push pins 13, 13. A pair of tip guides 1 for guiding the pin portions 13b, 13b from both sides in the pushing direction
5 and 15. The receiving table 8 has an annular receiving groove 8a for setting the clip 16 on the upper surface, and the left and right push pins 13, 13 are disposed at positions offset from the receiving groove 8a in the width direction of the table 7. 13
b, 13b, and have guide grooves 8b, 8b. The clip 16 to be used is formed by an annular leaf spring having claw portions 16a, 16a projecting radially outward at both ends and having both end portions overlapping each other along the circumferential direction in a free state.

The clip 16 supplied from the magazine 4
Is set in the receiving groove 8a of the clip receiving stand 8 in the lowered state of the clip supply device 5. Then, the receiving table 8 on which the clip 16 is placed is lifted by the lifting cylinder 11 to a predetermined position shown by a two-dot chain line in the figure, and when stopped, the push pins 13, 13 pushed out by the left and right pushing cylinders 12, 12. Moves right and left along the guide grooves 8b, 8b of the receiving stand 8 at the same time, and presses the claw portions 16a, 16a at both ends of the clip 16 set in the receiving groove 8a to expand the clip 16. In this state, the receiving table 8 is lowered to the original position, and the clip 16 is expanded by the left and right push pins 13 and 13 and held in a state of being suspended in the air.

The structure of the grasping portion of the assembling robot 2 is as shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 4, and is of a parallel chuck type comprising an air cylinder 17 and a pair of claws 18 and 19 opened and closed by the air cylinder 17. It is constituted by a hose insertion hand 20. A force sensor 2 for detecting an insertion force when the hose is inserted is provided at a connection portion of the hand 20 on the robot 2 side.
1 is interposed.

FIG. 5 is a front view of one claw 18 of the hand 20, FIG. 6 is a side view thereof, and FIG. 7 is a bottom view thereof. The claw 18 includes a connecting portion 18a connected to the air cylinder 17 and a half-split gripping portion 18b extending to the side of the connecting portion 18a so as to grip the tip of the rubber hose 22.
Here, the grip portion 18b is provided with a square groove 23 at the upper end for gripping the rubber hose 22 in a reduced diameter state with the other claw 19, and is continuous below the square groove 23 and is stepped with respect to the square groove 23. It has an arc-shaped groove 24 which expands in shape and extends to the lower end. The claw portions 16a, 16a of the clip 16 in the expanded state are provided at the centers of the square groove 23 and the arc-shaped groove 24 of the grip portion 18b.
Is provided in the vertical holding groove 25 capable of holding
In order to prevent the hand 20 from interfering with receiving the clip 16 held by the tip pins 13b, 13b of the left and right push pins 13, 13, these tip pins 13b, 13b are used.
Horizontal escape grooves 26, 26 are provided. The other claw 19 of the hand 20 is formed symmetrically so as to form a pair with the one claw 18. However, in the case of the claw 19, the holding groove 25 and the escape groove 26 are not provided.

FIG. 8 is a process diagram showing steps (101 to 120) for assembling a hose to an engine unit by the above-mentioned apparatus, and FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of the operation of the apparatus in the hose assembling step. In the apparatus of this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
The engine unit is carried into the predetermined assembly position by the conveyor line 1 (101). Then, when the carry-in to the predetermined assembling position is detected by the operation of the detection switch (102), the magazine 4 is transferred to the clip supply device 5 in FIG.
Kick out the clip 16 in the free state shown in (103),
Next, the cradle 8 is raised to the clip fixed position by the lifting cylinder (cylinder) 11 (104).

Next, the left and right pushing cylinders (cylinders) 12, 12 are used to push the leading end pin portion 13 of the push pin 13.
The b and 13b are simultaneously advanced from the left and right as shown in FIG. 9 (b), the claws 13a and 13b of the clip 13 are pressed to expand the clip 16 (105), and the elevating cylinder 11 is lowered. The clip 16 is suspended while being expanded by the push pin 13 (106).

On the other hand, the assembling robot 2 grips the rubber hose 22 of the hose supply unit with the hand 20 (10
7) The rubber hose 22 is transported to a fixed position above the clip supply device 5 with the hand closed (108). Then, the hand 22 of the robot 2 is lowered at the fixed position, and the rubber hose 22 is passed through the clip 16 while escaping the tip pins 13b, 13b of the push pin 13 by the escape groove 26.
The claw portions 16a, 16a of No. 6 are aligned with the holding grooves 25 of the hand 22 (109).

Next, as shown in FIG. 9 (c), the tip pins 1 of the push pins 13 are pushed by the pushing cylinders 12,12.
3b and 13b are retracted so that the claw portions 16a and
16a is set in the holding groove 25 of the hand 20, and the clip 16 is held in an expanded state (110). Then, in this state, the hand 20 is moved to the position of the insertion aid tank 6 to apply soapy water or the like to the tip of the rubber hose 22 (111),
Rubber hose 22 and clip 16 to pipe 27 to be assembled
And the insertion force is monitored by the force sensor 21 (112). Then, it is determined whether or not the insertion force is larger than the threshold value (113). If the insertion force is larger than the threshold value, an NG signal is issued (114), and the NG lamp is turned on and an NG alarm is issued (115). ), Discharge the engine unit from the assembly position. If the insertion force is equal to or less than the threshold, the hose insertion work is continued (11).
7) When the insertion is completed, the hand 20 is opened and the clip is attached to the rubber hose 22 as shown in FIG.
8) A work completion signal is issued (119), and the engine unit is discharged.

FIG. 10 shows a pipe 2 having a bulged tip.
7 shows a state in which the rubber hose 22 and the clip 16 are inserted. In the case of this embodiment, the hand 20 has a two-stage structure in which the arc-shaped groove 24 on the distal end side is increased in a stepped shape with respect to the square groove 23 that grips the rubber hose 22 in a reduced diameter state as described above. A hollow portion is formed around the rubber hose 22, and the hollow portion is inserted by the hollow portion.
2 bulges are absorbed. As a result, in the process of inserting the rubber hose 22 from the state in the middle of insertion indicated by the solid line in FIG. 10 to the specified position indicated by the two-dot chain line, the hand 20 tends to open and slips, or the rubber hose 22 is turned up. Is prevented.

FIG. 11 is a structural and operation explanatory view showing a modification of the clip supply device 5 in the above embodiment. In this example, when the hand 20 of the robot 2 descends to grip the rubber hose 22 and set the clip 16, a guide is provided at the center of the upper surface of the clip receiving stand 8 so as to correct the positional deviation of the rubber hose 22 in the hand 20. A pin 8c is provided. The guide pin 8c has a cylindrical shape, is smaller in diameter by about 0.3 to 0.5 mm than the inner diameter of the rubber hose 22, has a tapered tip, and has the tip of the guide pin 8c with the clip receiving stand 8 lowered to the stroke end. 10 mm to 20 mm from the upper edge of the clip 16 held in the expanded state
The length protrudes upward. By providing such a guide pin 8 c, the positional deviation of the rubber hose 22 is corrected while the hand 20 is descending, and the center of the rubber hose 22 comes to the center of the clip 16. Then, the clip 1 to the hand 20 of the robot 2
The setting of 6 is performed reliably.

FIG. 12 is a structural diagram showing a modification of the configuration of the gripping portion of the assembling robot 2 in the above embodiment. 4 is a diagram of the gripping portion of the assembling robot 2 as viewed from the right side in FIG. 1, whereas FIG. 12 is a diagram of the grasping portion of the assembling robot 2 as viewed from below in FIG. Is equivalent to

In the example shown in FIG. 12, the assembling robot 2 has two sets of hands 20A and 20B. These two sets of hands 20A and 20B have a pair of claws 18A and 19A (19A appears to overlap behind 18A), 18B and 19B (19B
B) and the hands 20A, 20
Each nail 18A and 19A, 18B and 19 for each B
B and an air cylinder for opening and closing them. The air cylinder of each hand 20A, 20B is fixed to the lower surface of the common mounting plate 28, and each pair of claws 18A and 19A, 18B, 19B
Are set so that the distance between the centers of the gripping positions (a in FIG. 12) is constant. Also, two sets of hands 20
The mounting plate 28 to which A and 20B are fixed is connected to the robot body via a floating mechanism 31 in which a floating element (RCC device) 29 is combined with an electromagnet 30 as a lock device.

In the case of the assembling robot 2 having the gripping portion configuration shown in FIG. 12, one gripping portion 20B is used for inserting a hose similarly to the gripping portion 20 in the example of FIG.
A is for positioning. In this case, first, as shown in FIG. 13 (a), while holding the rubber hose 22 and the clip 16 by one gripping portion 20B, the other gripping portion 20A disconnects the pipe 27, which is the part to be assembled. Hold. At this time, the floating mechanism 31 acts to correct the positional deviation between the positioning grip 20A and the pipe 27, and the grip center of the grip 20A and the center of the pipe 27 are aligned. Then, the floating mechanism 31 is fixed by the electromagnet 30 at this centering position. After that, the gripping of the pipe 27 is released, and the assembling robot is moved from the gripping portion 20B holding the rubber hose 22 and the clip 16 to the other while the floating mechanism 31 is fixed, as shown in FIG. The gripper 20A is moved in the direction of the gripper 20A by the distance a between the grip centers of the grippers 20A and 20B, and the rubber hose 22 and the clip 16 as the assembly are inserted into the pipe 27 as the assembly. According to this example, the rubber hose 22 and the clip 1
6 is automatically aligned with the pipe 27 and positioned, so that the assembling becomes easy.

FIG. 14 shows another example of a floating mechanism provided at a connection portion of the mounting plate 28 to the robot body. In this example, a bearing device 32 is used as a floating element, and an air cylinder 33 as a lock device is combined with the bearing device 32. When this floating mechanism is used, the same operation as that of the example of FIG. 12 is obtained, and the positioning when inserting the hose becomes easy.

As the clip supply device, in addition to expanding the clip with the push pin as in the above-described embodiment, after inserting a tapered rod into the clip to hold the clip in the expanded state, Set the clip on the hand by aligning it with the holding groove and projecting this rod, or by pressing and narrowing the claw of the clip along the taper groove of the jig to open the clip. Various forms are possible, such as pushing the jig over and switching to a hand. Also,
The present invention is not limited to assembling a rubber hose to an engine unit, but can be applied to assembling hose-shaped members in various fields.

[0031]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, the hose-like member and the clip for stopping the hose-like member can be automatically and continuously assembled, and the assemblability is greatly improved. improves.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall layout diagram of an apparatus for assembling a hose to an engine unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a clip supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the clip supply device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a grip portion of the assembly robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of one claw of the hand according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of one claw of the hand according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of one claw of the hand according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a process diagram illustrating an assembling method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an operation explanatory view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state when a hose is inserted in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a structural and operation explanatory view showing a modified example of the clip supply device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a structural diagram showing a modified example of the configuration of the grip portion according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the example of FIG.

FIG. 14 is a structural diagram showing another example of the floating mechanism in the grip part configuration of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Assembling robot 5 Clip supply device 8 Receiving stand 13 Push pin 16 Clip 17 Claw portion 20 Hand 21 Force sensor 22 Rubber hose 25 Holding groove 26 Escape groove 27 Pipe (attached portion) 28 Mounting plate 29 Floating element 30 Electromagnet 31 Floating Mechanism 32 Bearing device 33 Air cylinder

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A clip formed by an annular leaf spring having claw portions projecting radially outward at both ends and having both end portions overlapping each other along a circumferential direction in a free state. Simultaneously moving forward and pressing the claw section, the clip is held in an expanded state by a clip supply device having a pair of push pins for expanding the clip, and a hose-shaped member is gripped by a gripping portion of an assembly robot, A state in which the grip is moved to insert the tip of the hose-shaped member into the clip in the expanded state, the clip is supported by the grip in the expanded state, and the hose-shaped member and the clip are held. After moving the grip portion to the assembly target portion and inserting the hose-shaped member into the assembly target portion, open the grip portion and attach the clip to the hose-shaped member. A method for assembling a hose-shaped member. 2. A clip formed by an annular leaf spring having claw portions projecting radially outward at both ends and having both end portions overlapping each other along a circumferential direction in a free state. At the same time, the clip is held in an expanded state by a clip supply device having a pair of push pins for expanding the clip by moving forward and pressing the claw, and two sets of gripping portions having a constant distance between each gripping center. Using an assembling robot that supports a floating mechanism that can be fixed at an arbitrary position, the hose-like member is gripped by one gripper of the assembling robot, and the gripper holding the hose-like member is moved. And inserting the distal end of the hose-shaped member into the expanded clip while supporting the clip in the expanded state with the gripping portion, and removing the hose-shaped member and the clip. In the held state, first, the assembly target portion is gripped by the other grip portion of the assembly robot, the floating mechanism is fixed at that position, and then the grip of the assembly target portion is released. The hose-like member is moved by moving the assembling robot from the gripper holding the hose-like member and the clip by the distance between the grip centers of the two grippers while holding the floating mechanism fixed. And positioning the gripping part holding the clip in the centered state with respect to the assembled part,
The hose-shaped member, wherein after the hose-shaped member is inserted into the to-be-attached portion, a grip portion holding the hose-shaped member and the clip is opened, and the clip is attached to the hose-shaped member. Assembly method. 3. A clip formed by an annular plate spring having a hose-like member having radial claws at both ends and having both ends overlapping in a circumferential direction in a free state. A clip supply device capable of holding the clip in an expanded state by a pair of push pins that are simultaneously moved forward and left and right, and a release groove for releasing the push pin and an expanded state of the expanded state. A holding groove for holding a claw portion of the clip, gripping the hose-shaped member, receiving the expanded clip from the clip supply device, holding the clip around the hose-shaped member, and attaching the hose-shaped member to the assembly; And an assembling robot having a gripper configured to attach the clip to the hose-like member by expanding after being inserted into the part. A device for assembling a base member. 4. A means for detecting insertion force when a hose-shaped member is inserted into a portion to be assembled by a gripping portion of the assembling robot to detect a poor insertion of the hose-shaped member. 2
A device for assembling the hose-shaped member according to the above. 5. An assembling robot has a grip for positioning in addition to a grip for holding a hose-shaped member and a clip, and the two sets of grips are fixed at an arbitrary distance between the grip centers. After supporting via a floating mechanism that can be fixed at a position, gripping the to-be-attached part with the gripping part for positioning, fixing the floating mechanism at that position, releasing the grip of the to-be-attached part The hose member and the clip are gripped by moving the hose-shaped member and the clip by the distance between the grip centers of the two grip portions in the direction of the other grip portion while holding the floating mechanism fixed. 4. The apparatus for assembling a hose-shaped member according to claim 3, wherein said grasping portion can be positioned in a centered state with respect to said to-be-attached portion.