JP2941559B2 - Workpiece delivery device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a holder for holding and transporting a workpiece when processing the workpiece such as an optical element represented by a lens ( processing such as grinding and polishing). To transfer the work to and from the pallet on which the goods are loaded
The present invention relates to a workpiece transfer device used for the above.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an object to be processed such as an optical element is processed (ground).
When processing such as grinding and polishing) , the delivery of the workpiece between the holder that holds and transports the workpiece and the pallet on which the workpiece is loaded is provided on the holder by the holder. Workpieces are held and transported by vacuum suction through vacuum holes, and are positioned above the pallet. After positioning above the pallet, compressed air is supplied to the guide holes in reverse to discharge the workpiece into the pallet.

[0003]

According to the above-mentioned prior art, when a workpiece is transferred from a holder to a pallet, it is difficult to load the workpiece at a regular position in the pallet. Is turned over or jumps out of the pallet, and the apparatus must be stopped each time, and the operation rate is low.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems to be solved by the prior art, and is a work that can reliably deliver and load a work to a proper position in a pallet. It is intended to realize a delivery device .

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object , a workpiece transfer device according to the present invention holds a workpiece.
And a recess for loading the workpiece.
With a hole for vacuum suction inside the recess
Workpiece delivered from the pallet and the holder
A transport device for loading and transporting the pallets;
And a suction shaft for vacuum suction in the recess of the pallet.
It is characterized by the fact that

Also, if there is a recess for loading a workpiece,
A palette having a hole for vacuum suction in the recess.
Instead of having a recess for loading the workpiece
At least the bottom is porous for vacuum suction inside the recess
It shall be provided with a pallet consisting of a solid body.

[0007]

[Action] to the pallet from the holder when transferring the workpiece, the workpiece is vacuum-adsorbed on the pallet side. For this reason, the delivered workpiece is reliably loaded at a predetermined position in the recess of the pallet.

[0008]

An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, an embodiment of a workpiece transfer device will be described.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a main part of the present embodiment in a partial cross section, and FIG. 2 is a schematic cross section along the line AA in FIG.

A pair of columns 6a and 6b are mounted on a base (not shown) or the like.
A pair of conveyors 5a and 5b, which are transporting devices for loading and transporting the pallets 2, are arranged in parallel at a predetermined distance from each other in an upper portion between the two columns 6a and 6b. ing. The predetermined interval is set to a distance at which the pallet 2 can be placed across the pair of conveyors 5a and 5b.

A stopper support plate 6c is provided on one of the columns 6b so as to project toward the conveyor, and a screw rod 11 is provided on a free end side of the stopper support plate 6c so as to project downward. A pair of stoppers 10a, 10
b are loosely fitted to each other, and a pair of nuts 12
The screw rod 11 can be locked at a predetermined position in the axial direction and positioned.

A yoke 6d protrudes below the free end of the threaded rod 11 of one of the columns 6b, and a cylinder 9 is fixed to the tip of the yoke 6d by a known fixing means. The inside of the recess 2b of the pallet 2 is vacuum-suctioned by the vertical moving body 8 composed of the piston 9b and the piston rod 9a of the cylinder 9 and the large diameter portion at the tip of the piston rod 9a.
The piston rod 9a is integrally provided with a flange portion 8a. That is, the suction shaft 7 reciprocates in the axial direction.
Is configured.

The suction shaft 7 has a guide hole 7a extending in the axial direction thereof. One end of the guide hole 7a is opened on the inner surface of the pad 4, and the other end is a conduit through which a switching valve (not shown) is interposed. Is configured to selectively communicate with a vacuum source.

Further, a pair of cylinders 13a and 13b are disposed opposite to each other at a position above the conveying surface of the conveyors 5a and 5b of both support shafts 6a and 6b,
Block-shaped locking means 14a, 14b for sandwiching and positioning the pallet 2 are integrally provided at the tip of each piston rod of each of the cylinders 13a, 13b.

The pallet 2 has a recess 2b on which the workpiece 1 is loaded, and has a hole 2a for vacuum suction in the recess 2b. An inclined surface 2c for guiding the workpiece 1 is formed on the inner peripheral wall of the recess 2b.

On the other hand, the holder 3 has an elastic body 3 on its lower end surface.
a having a recess covered by a and extending in the axial direction thereof
Is opened through the elastic body 3a, and the other end of the guide hole 3b is selectively connected to a vacuum generation source (not shown) through a pipe having a switching valve interposed therebetween. The workpiece 1 can be held by vacuum suction. The robot is attached to a robot (not shown), and moves between a portion facing the pallet 2 and the processing device and is positioned at a predetermined portion.

Next , the operation of this embodiment will be described.

(A-1) Prior to the start of work, each nut 12 of the pair of stoppers 10a and 10b is loosened,
The supply of the pressurized fluid to the cylinder 9 is stopped, and the vertical moving body 8 is stopped.
Is lowered to bring the flange portion 8a into contact with the lower stopper 10a and push it down. Here, the lower stopper 10a is positioned at a position where the uppermost end 4a of the pad 4 is separated by a predetermined distance below the lowermost end of the pallet 2, that is, at a lower set position, and tightens the pair of nuts 12. And fix it.

(A-2) Then, a pressurized fluid is supplied from a conduit 9c below the cylinder 9 to raise the vertical moving body 8, and the flange 8a is brought into contact with the upper stopper 10b and pushed up. Here, the position of the upper stopper 10b is
The uppermost end 4a of the pad 4 is positioned at a position where it contacts the lower surface of the pallet 2 on the conveyors 5a and 5b, that is, at an upper set position, and the pair of nuts 12 is tightened and fixed.

(A-3) After that, pressurized fluid is supplied to the cylinder 9 from the upper conduit 9d to lower the vertical moving body 8 so that the flange 8a is brought into contact with the lower stopper 10a, The guide hole 7a of the suction shaft 7 is open to the atmosphere.

The holder 3 is raised to a position where the lower end does not contact the pallet 2 and the workpiece 1 on the conveyors 5a and 5b.

(A-4) Thereafter, the conveyor 5a,
5b is started and the pallet 2 loaded with the unprocessed workpiece 1 is transported to the delivery position. When the center of the pallet 2 reaches below the center of the holder 3, this is detected by the sensor 15,
As a result, the conveyors 5a and 5b are stopped, and the pair of cylinders 13a and 13b are used to stop the two locking means 1.
4a, 14b are moved in the direction in which they approach each other (forward)
Then, the pallet 2 is sandwiched from both sides, and the pallet 2 is positioned with respect to the holder 3.

(A-5) Then, the holder 3 is lowered to bring its elastic body 3a into contact with the upper surface of the unprocessed workpiece 1, and the workpiece 3 is unprocessed by vacuum suction through the conductive hole 3b. Thing 1
Is held on the holder 3 by vacuum suction.

(A-6) Thereafter, the unprocessed workpiece 1
Is raised to a position where it does not interfere with other members, and then moved to a processing position to perform a processing operation.

(A-7) When the processing is completed, the processed workpiece 1 is held by the holder 3 and is conveyed and positioned above the empty pallet 2 waiting.

Next, pressurized fluid is supplied from a conduit 9c below the cylinder 9 to raise the vertical moving body 8 to a position where the flange portion 8a contacts the upper stopper 10b, and is positioned at the above-mentioned set position. When the positioning is completed, the guide hole 7a of the suction shaft 7 is communicated with the vacuum generation source, and the inside of the recess 2b of the pallet 2 is vacuum-suctioned.

(A-8) After that, the processed workpiece 1
Is lowered, and the lower surface of the workpiece 1 is brought into contact with the inner surface of the recess 2 b of the pallet 2. At this time, the workpiece 1 receives the vacuum suction force in the recess 2b. In synchronization with this, after the vacuum suction of the holder 3 is stopped to release the vacuum, the holder 3 is raised by about 0.5 mm. Thereby, the processed workpiece 1 is transferred to the pallet 2. At this time, the workpiece 1 is guided by the inclined surface 2c, and accurate positioning is performed.

(A-9) Then, pressurized fluid is supplied from the conduit 9d above the cylinder 9 to lower the suction shaft 7 together with the vertical moving body 8 to a position where the flange 8a contacts the lower stopper 10a. Position at lower setting position.

(A-10) Thereafter, a pair of cylinders 1
3a, 13b, the two locking means 14a, 14b are moved (retracted) in the direction in which the gap is widened to widen the gap between them, and then the conveyors 5a, 5b are activated to remove the processed workpiece 1. Keep away from the delivery position,
Another pallet 2 loaded with the next unprocessed workpiece 1 is transported below the holder 3.

By repeating the above steps, the transfer and delivery of the workpiece are sequentially performed.

Next, another embodiment of the pallet will be described.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the pallet. In the pallet 22, a portion corresponding to the bottom of the pallet 22 is made of a porous body 22a instead of the hole 2a of the pallet 2 of the first embodiment. It was formed. That is, a porous body 22a formed with a recess 22b having an inclined surface 22c for guiding an outer edge of a workpiece is fitted to a cylindrical pallet body 22d.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a third embodiment of the pallet. The pallet 32 of this embodiment is entirely made of a porous body, and has a recess 32b having the same shape as that of each of the above embodiments.

Each pallet 2 shown in FIG. 3 or FIG.
The suction shaft 7 is provided on the outer surface of the bottom of each pallet 22, 32.
The most upper end portion 4a of the pad 4 by abutting respectively, each recess 22b, the inside 32b by vacuum suction the workpiece can be vacuum suction. The other points are the same as in the case of the pallet 2 of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

[0036] Next, describes the workpiece transfer apparatus Nitsu using the fourth embodiment and the same palette.

The pallet 42 of the present embodiment differs from the pallet 2 of the first embodiment in that a hole 42a having an inner diameter large enough to allow a suction shaft to be loosely fitted is formed in the bottom wall thereof.

[0038] the operation of the workpiece transfer apparatus using the pallet 42 of the fourth embodiment.

(B-1) Before starting the work, loosen the nuts 12 of the pair of stoppers 10a and 10b,
The supply of the pressurized fluid to the cylinder 9 is stopped, and the vertical moving body 8 is stopped.
Is lowered to bring the flange portion 8a into contact with the lower stopper 10a and push it down. Here, the lower stopper 10a is positioned at a position where the uppermost end 4a of the pad 4 is separated from the lowermost end of the pallet 42 by a predetermined distance, that is, at a lower set position, and the pair of nuts 12 is moved. Tighten and fix.

(B-2) Then, pressurized fluid is supplied from the conduit 9c below the cylinder 9 to raise the vertical moving body 8, and the flange 8a is brought into contact with the upper stopper 10b and pushed up. Here, the position of the upper stopper 10b is
The uppermost end 4a of the pad 4 pushes the workpiece 1 loaded on the pallet 42 on the conveyors 5a, 5b by a small distance, that is, is positioned at an upper set position, and the pair of nuts 12 is tightened. Fix it.

(B-3) After that, pressurized fluid is supplied to the cylinder 9 from the upper conduit 9d to lower the vertical moving body 8, so that the flange portion 8a is brought into contact with the lower stopper 10a, The guide hole 7a of the suction shaft 7 is open to the atmosphere.

The holder 3 is raised to a position where the lower end does not contact the pallet 42 and the workpiece 1 on the conveyors 5a and 5b.

(B-4) Thereafter, the conveyor 5a,
5b is started and the pallet 42 loaded with the unprocessed workpiece 1 is transported to the delivery position.

When the center of the pallet 42 reaches below the center of the holder 3, this is detected by the sensor 15, whereby the conveyors 5a and 5b are stopped, and the two locking means 14a, 14b
Are moved (advanced) in a direction in which they approach each other, the pallet 42 is pinched from both sides, and the pallet 42 is positioned with respect to the holder 3.

(B-5) Then, the holder 3 is lowered to bring the surface of the elastic body 3a into contact with the upper surface of the unprocessed workpiece 1, and the unprocessed material is drawn by vacuum suction through the conductive hole 3b . The workpiece 1 is held by vacuum suction on the holder 3.

(B-6) Thereafter, the unprocessed workpiece 1
Is raised to a position where it does not interfere with other members, and then moved to a processing position to perform a processing operation.

(B-7) When the processing is completed, the processed workpiece 1 is held by the holder 3 and is conveyed above the empty pallet 42 which is waiting and positioned.

Then, the vertical moving body 8 is raised by supplying a pressurized fluid to the conduit 9c below the cylinder 9, and the suction shaft 7 is pushed upward by a force of about 100 to 500 g. And stops at this position. That is, the uppermost end of the pad 4 is positioned at the upper set position at the center of the recess 42b of the pallet 42. After the completion of the positioning, the guide hole 7a of the suction shaft 7 is communicated with a vacuum source so that the pallet 42
Vacuum is sucked in the recess 42b.

(B-8) Thereafter, the processed workpiece 1
Is positioned above the pallet 42, and then lowered to bring the lower surface of the workpiece 1 into contact with the uppermost end 4a of the pad 4. In synchronization with this, the vacuum suction of the holder 3 is stopped to release the vacuum, and
mm. Thus, the processed workpiece 1 is delivered to the pad 4 and the pallet 42 side.

(B-9) Then, a pressurized fluid is supplied from a conduit 9d above the cylinder 9 to thereby move the vertical moving body 8
At the same time, the suction shaft 7 is lowered, the vacuum suction from the guide hole 7a of the suction shaft 7 is stopped to release the vacuum, and the workpiece 1 is first loaded on the recess 42b of the pallet 42, 8a is lowered to a position where it comes into contact with the lower stopper 10a, and is positioned at the lower set position.

(B-10) Thereafter, a pair of cylinders 1
3a, spread Ryokakaritome means 14a, moves in the direction spacing 14b spreads (retracted) is not in the interval therebetween by supplying a pressurized fluid in a direction opposite to the time of positioning in 13b, and then, a pair of conveyors 5a , 5b are activated to transport the pallet 42 loaded with the processed workpiece 1 to another position, and transport another pallet 42 loaded with the unprocessed workpiece 1 below the holder 3.

By repeating the above steps, the transfer and delivery of the workpiece are sequentially performed.

In each of the above embodiments, a cylinder is used as a drive source of the vertically movable body and the locking means, but a ball screw mechanism, a pinion rack mechanism, or the like may be used as a drive source.

[0054]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained.

When transferring the processed workpiece from the holder to the pallet, the inside of the recess of the pallet is vacuum-sucked and the workpiece is vacuum-sucked to the pallet side. It can be reliably delivered to a legitimate site. Therefore, even when the workpiece has a small diameter, the workpiece does not turn over or jump out of the pallet.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a main part of an embodiment of a workpiece conveying device in a partial cross section.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the pallet.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a third embodiment of the pallet.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2, showing a workpiece transfer device using a fourth embodiment of a pallet.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Workpiece 2, 22, 32, 42 Pallet 2a, 42a Hole 3 Holder 3a Elastic body 4 Pad 5a, 5b Conveyor 6a, 6b Support 6c Stopper support plate 6d Yoke 7 Suction axis 7a Guide hole 8 Vertical moving body 9 Cylinder 10a , 10b stopper 11 screw rod 12 nut 13a, 13b cylinder 14a, 14b locking means 15 sensor 22a porous body

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-174147 (JP, A) JP-A-2-27067 (JP, A) JP-A-62-19143 (JP, U) JP-A-4-19767 28933 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 63-89888 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Application Hei 4-94158 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B23Q 7/00 B23Q 7 / 04 B24B 13/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A holder for holding and transporting a workpiece.
And a recess for loading a workpiece, and the recess
A pallet having holes for vacuum suction inside the pallet;
Loading the pallet, which receives the workpiece from
And a transfer device for transferring the pallet.
And a suction shaft for vacuum suction.
Workpiece delivery device. 2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a recess for loading a workpiece.
A pallet having a hole for vacuum suction in the recess;
Instead, it has a recess for loading the work
At least the bottom is a porous body for vacuum suction in the recess.
2. A pallet comprising:
Workpiece transfer device. 3. The suction shaft is reciprocally movable in the axial direction.
3. The receiving device according to claim 1, wherein
Workpiece delivery device. 4. On a transfer device for transferring a pallet.
To hold and position the pallet
3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of locking means.
3. The workpiece transfer device according to claim 3.