JP3114831B2 - Fuel tank assembly 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 fuel tank assembling apparatus for assembling a fuel tank at a predetermined position on a body of a vehicle assembly plant via an attachment band.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of assembling a fuel tank to an automobile body, a band assembling method in which a fuel tank is indirectly bolted to a body using a steel band or the like, and a welding flange of the fuel tank are used. There is a flange assembly method that bolts to the body. Both methods are performed in the assembly line in synchronization with the body being conveyed.

[0003] As a band assembly method, for example,
Japanese Patent No. -18183 has been proposed. Further, as a method of assembling a flange, for example, those described in JP-A-63-93530 and JP-A-63-156628 have been proposed.

[0004]

Of the above-mentioned prior art, the former band assembly method requires a dedicated pallet or the like.

[0005] In the latter method of assembling a flange, when a fuel tank is set on a component holding table, an input device such as an industrial robot is required. Both of them have a problem that a large space is required on a line layout, the device is complicated and large, and it is difficult to cope with various types of vehicles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel tank assembling apparatus which is space-saving, low-cost, and can be used for various types of vehicles. It is something to offer.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an assembling truck 8 which reciprocates along the lower part of the body transport means 2 and rises and descends, and a floating means on the upper surface of the assembling truck 8. 7 a tank assembly means 6 assembled to the body 5 mounted fuel tank W via consists tank supply means 4 having a free-running conveyor for supplying the fuel tank W in the tank assembly unit 6, before Tank installation means
6, the a retractable self-propelled conveyor 21,22,23,31 move the fuel tank W to the set position, the risen to the lower surface of the fuel tank W abut the front and rear upper ends of the front and rear
Mounting holes 32a, 32a are provided at the front and rear ends protruding in the direction.
Left and right mounting band receiving portions 33a, 33a and 33b, 33b for setting the substantially U-shaped mounting band 32 ;
A tank positioning pin 34 which moves forward and backward moves up and down to position the fuel tank W is fitted to the flange hole Wa of the fuel tank W, the mounting band by tightening the bolts 35
A fastening means 36 for fixing the front and rear ends of the body 32 by moving up and down to predetermined positions of the body 5 through the mounting holes 32a, 32a and a body positioning hole 5a of the body 5. The fuel tank W up and down with respect to the body 5
And a body positioning pin 37 for positioning.

[0008]

When the fuel tank is supplied onto the tank assembling means by the tank supply means, the self-propelled conveyor in the up state moves the fuel tank to the set position, and then the self-propelled conveyor is lowered to set the tank positioning pin. Is fitted into the flange hole, the fuel tank is positioned at a predetermined position of the tank assembling means. Then, when the tank assembling means is raised and the body positioning pin is fitted into the body positioning hole of the body, the fuel tank is positioned with respect to the body.
Further, when the fastening means fastens the fastening member to fix the mounting band at a predetermined position on the body, the fuel tank is attached to the body.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 is a schematic plan view of a fuel tank assembling process provided with a fuel tank assembling apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic front view thereof, FIG. 3 is a side view thereof, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a side view of the tank transfer device, FIG. 6 is a side view of the tank supply device, FIG. 7 is a plan view of the tank assembling device, FIG. 8 is a side view of the tank assembling device, and FIG.
7 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 7, FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 7, FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 7, and FIG. FIG. 13 is a schematic side view of the same.

As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel tank assembling device is a tank supply device in which a fuel tank W conveyed to the line side of a body conveyor 2 by a tank conveyor 1 is transferred by a tank transfer device 3. 4, a tank assembling device 6 for positioning and assembling the fuel tank W supplied by the tank supply device 4 at a predetermined position below the body 5, and a tank assembling device 6 on the upper surface via a floating device 7. It is composed of an assembling trolley 8. Reference numeral 9 denotes a transfer conveyor for transferring the fuel tank W from the tank supply device 4 to the tank assembly device 6.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the assembling cart 8 is moved by the synchronizing device 10 in synchronization with the body transport conveyor 2, and after the fuel tank W is assembled to the body 5, the assembling truck 8 is returned to its original position returning device. (Not shown) to return to the supply position (original position) of the fuel tank W.

As shown in FIG. 4, the tank transfer device 3 includes a rail 11 laid vertically to the body transport conveyor 2.
A trolley 13 slidable on the upper side via a guide 12 and a trolley 1
3 and a comb-shaped mounting table 16 provided at the end of a rod 15 of a cylinder 14 which is mounted vertically.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a cylinder for reciprocating the carriage 13 on the rail 11, 18 and 19 denote stoppers for the carriage 13,
Reference numeral 20 denotes a felt that covers the upper surface of the mounting table 16.

The tank supply device 4 receives the fuel tank W from the mounting table 16 of the tank transfer device 3 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and transports the fuel tank W in the reverse direction along the body transport conveyor 2. Conveyors 21, 22, 23 arranged in series in such a manner that a 90 ° -rotating self-running conveyor 26 mounted on the tip of a rod 25 of a cylinder 24 vertically mounted at the center of the self-running conveyor 23. It is configured. The self-propelled conveyors 21, 22, 23 can move the loading table 16 up and down between them.
A predetermined gap is formed between 2 and 23.

When the fuel tank W is received from the self-propelled conveyor 23, the self-propelled conveyor 26 is maintained in a state parallel to the self-propelled conveyor 23 and at a position lower than the upper surface of the self-propelled conveyor 23 by retreating the cylinder 24. , One side fuel tank W
When the cylinder 24 is rotated to pass it to the tank assembling device 6, it is maintained at a position higher than the upper surface of the self-propelled conveyor 23 by the forward movement of the cylinder 24 so as not to interfere with the self-propelled conveyor 23. In addition, the self-propelled conveyor 26 rotates between a state parallel to the self-propelled conveyor 23 and a state perpendicular to the self-propelled conveyor 23 by the reciprocation of the cylinder 27.

As shown in FIG. 7, the tank assembling device 6 mounts the fuel tank W on a conveyor 9 through a frame 30 mounted on an assembling carriage 8 via a floating device 7.
The self-propelled conveyor 31 of a retractable type, which is received and moved to a set position, mounting band receiving portions 33a, 33b for setting a mounting band 32 which is in contact with a lower surface of the fuel tank W, and a flange hole Wa of the fuel tank W. A retractable tank positioning pin 34 for positioning the fuel tank W, a retractable fastening device 36 for fastening the mounting band 32 to a predetermined position of the body 5 by tightening a bolt 35 serving as a fastening member, and a body positioning hole of the body 5. 5a and the fuel tank W
Is provided with a body positioning pin 37 that can move forward and backward with respect to the body 5. 38 is a stopper for the fuel tank W.

The self-propelled conveyor 31 has rods 4 of cylinders 40 and 41 mounted on a frame 30 as shown in FIG.
A plate 44 is fixed to the plates 2 and 43 and disposed on the upper surface of the plate 44. When the fuel tank W is transported to a predetermined position, the cylinders 40 and 41 are in an advanced state.
1 is in a retreat state.

As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the mounting band receiving portions 33a and 33b are
A pair is provided so that the mounting band 32 can be accommodated.

The tank positioning pin 34 is disposed so as to be fitted into the flange hole Wa of the fuel tank W to position the fuel tank W as shown in FIGS. Also, three pairs are provided on the left and right so as to be able to correspond to three types of fuel tanks W. The necessary tank positioning pins 34
, And the other unnecessary pins 34 are retracted.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, four fastening machines 36 are attached to the front and rear of the frame 30, and are configured to be vertically movable by a cylinder 50. Then, after the bolt 35 is set at the tip, the bolt 35 is screwed into the bolt hole 32a and the body mounting hole 5b formed at the end of the mounting band 32 while being raised, and tightened while screwing the mounting band 32 to the predetermined position of the body 5. By fixing in position, the fuel tank W is assembled to the body 5.

Further, the fastening machine 36 moves the mounting band receiving portion 33a and the mounting band receiving portion 33b by the advancing and retreating operation of the cylinder 51 so as to correspond to the mounting band 32 set in the two pairs of mounting band receiving portions 33a and 33b on the left and right. It is configured to be positioned at two positions.

The body positioning pins 37 are shown in FIGS.
As shown in the figure, one is provided on the front side and three pairs are provided on the left and right sides.
It is designed to be compatible with models. Then, the tank assembling device 6 is raised by the elevating device 70, and furthermore, the rear end portion 3 of the body positioning pin 37 is pressed by pressing means (not shown).
When the fuel tank 7 is pressed, the fuel tank W is inserted into a body positioning hole 5 a formed in the body 5 to position the fuel tank W with respect to the body 5.

The stopper 38 is attached to the tip of the rod 53 of the cylinder 52 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and is configured to abut the fuel tank W conveyed by the self-propelled conveyor 31. Further, when the cylinder 52 is in the forward state, the fuel tank W comes into contact with the stopper 38 and stops,
It is positioned at a predetermined position. When the fuel tank W is positioned, the cylinder 52 is retracted and retreats from the fuel tank W. In addition, 54 is a guide.

As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 and 11, the floating device 7 includes an X-direction cylinder 60 that allows the fuel tank W set in the tank assembling device 6 to move in the front-rear direction. A pair of Y-direction cylinders 61 permitting the movement of the mounting carriage 6 and a mounting plate 6 permitting rotation about a shaft 63 provided on the assembling carriage 8 via a mounting base 62.
4. A cylinder 65 that regulates the rotation of the mounting plate 64 about the shaft 63 is provided on the mounting base 62.

The mounting plate 64 rotatably mounted on the shaft 63 comprises an inner 64a and an outer slider 64b. The mounting plate 64 rotates about the shaft 63 and the outer slider 64b is slidably engaged with the inner 64a. It is configured.

The X-direction cylinder 60 is fixed to an outer slider 64b with both rods 60a, and is mounted on a tank 67 via a mounting plate 64 by pressing the rod 60a against a stopper 67 fixed to the mounting base 62. 6 gives a degree of freedom in the front-rear direction.

A pair of Y-direction cylinders 61 includes a mounting table 62.
And the rod is pressed against a stopper (not shown) fixed to the outer slider 64b, so that the entire tank assembling device 6 mounted via the mounting plate 64 is given a degree of freedom in the left-right direction.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the assembling truck 8 has a lifting device 70 for raising and lowering the tank assembling device 6 fixed to the upper surface of the moving plate 71, and a guide 72 provided on the lower surface of the moving plate 71. The guide 72 is engaged with a rail 73 laid on the lower floor of the body transport conveyor 2 so as to be able to reciprocate.

The elevating device 70 comprises a cylinder 75, a guide member (not shown), and the like. The tank assembling device 6 is mounted on the tip of a rod 76 of the cylinder 75 via a mount 62 and a floating device 7.

The synchronizer 10 engages a guide 79 fixed to the lower surface of the plate 78 with a rail 77 laid on the upper surface of the left end of the moving plate 71 as shown in FIGS. An abutting member 83 is provided at the tip of a column 80 erected on the shaft 82 so as to rotate about a shaft 82 as the cylinder 81 moves forward and backward.

In the synchronizer 10, when the cylinder 81 is moved forward, the contact member 83 is brought into contact with the hanger end 2a of the body transport conveyor 2, and the tank assembling device 6 is mounted by the power of the body transport conveyor 2. This is a device for synchronizing the assembling trolley 8 with the body 5 transported by the body transport conveyor 2. Incidentally, reference numeral 83a denotes urethane rubber for reducing an impact when coming into contact with the hanger end 2a.

The synchronizer 10 gives the contact member 83 to the assembling trolley 8 when the contact member 83 contacts the hanger end 2a of the body conveyor 2 or when the hanger end 2a pushes the contact member 83. To absorb the shock, the moving plate 71
And plate 78 are provided with cylinders 84 and 85, respectively.

Therefore, the support 80 on which the contact member 83 is mounted
Are fixed to a plate 78 movable in the front-rear direction, and a rod 86 of a cylinder 84 fixed to the moving plate 71 and a rod 8 of a cylinder 85 fixed to the plate 78.
7, the impact caused by the contact between the assembling trolley 8 and the hanger end 2a of the body transport conveyor 2 is absorbed.

The operation of the fuel tank assembling apparatus configured as described above will be described. First, the tank conveyor 1
When the fuel tank W conveyed is stopped at the original position of the tank transfer device 3 as shown in FIG. 4, the cylinder 14 moves up and transfers the fuel tank W onto the mounting table 16.

Then, the cylinder 17 moves forward to transport the fuel tank W onto the self-propelled conveyors 21 and 22 of the tank supply device 4 as shown in FIG. Next, the cylinder 14 descends and the fuel tank W is placed on the self-propelled conveyors 21 and 22.

The fuel tank W includes self-propelled conveyors 21, 22,
By 23, it is conveyed on the self-propelled conveyor 26 which rotates 90 degrees. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the fuel tank W is placed on the self-propelled conveyor 26 by raising the cylinder 24.

Next, as the cylinder 27 advances, the fuel tank W rotates 90 degrees, and moves to the tank assembling apparatus 6 shown in FIG. 7 through the transfer conveyor 9 shown in FIG. Then, the fuel tank W is moved to the self-propelled conveyor 31 in the raised position.
Is transported until it comes into contact with the stopper 38.

When the fuel tank W comes into contact with the stopper 38, the self-propelled conveyor 31 is at the lowered position, and the fuel tank W
The projecting tank positioning pin 34 corresponding to FIG.
The fuel tank W is positioned by being inserted into the flange hole Wa of the fuel tank W as shown in FIG.

The mounting bands 32 corresponding to the fuel tank W are set in advance in the corresponding receiving portions of the mounting band receiving portions 33a and 33b before the fuel tank W is charged.

After the fuel tank W is positioned in the tank assembling device 6, the hanger end 2a of the body transport conveyor 2 comes into contact with the abutting member 83 of the synchronizer 10 after a predetermined time, and the assembling trolley 8 and the body transport conveyor are connected. 2, the lifting device 70 of the assembling trolley 8 operates to raise the tank assembling device 6.

The tank assembling device 6 is indicated by an arrow in FIG.
Ascend vertically. Thus, the fuel tank W
Insert the upper half into the recess provided in the predetermined portion of the lower surface of the body 5.
It is stored in a sunk state. Then, as the assembling device 6 is raised, the body positioning pin 37 is inserted into the body positioning hole 5a formed in the body 5 as shown in FIG.

At this time, the tank assembling device 6 is in a floating state with respect to the assembling trolley 8 by the floating device 7.

Thereafter, the upper and lower end portions of the mounting band 32 are raised while raising the fastening machine 36 on which the bolts 35 have been set in advance.
Bolts 32a , 32a formed at the ends formed by projecting them in the front-rear direction, and bolts 35 in the body mounting holes 5b.
The fuel tank W is mounted on the body 5 by screwing and fastening the fixing band 32 at a predetermined position of the body 5. The mounting band 32 is on the side as clearly shown in FIG.
The view is almost U-shaped, and the front and rear upper ends are bent in the front and rear direction, respectively.
The bolt hole 3
2a and 32a are provided.

After fastening the bolt 35, the lifting device 70 is operated to lower the tank assembling device 6, the body positioning pin 37 is removed from the body positioning hole 5a, and at the same time, the cylinder 81 is retracted to transfer the body of the mounting truck 8. Conveyor 2
The synchronous movement with is also released.

After the centering of the floating device 7 between the tank assembling device 6 and the assembling trolley 8 is performed, the cylinder 65 for controlling the rotation operation is activated to be in a non-floating state. The self-propelled return to the original position (the supply position of the fuel tank W) is performed, and one cycle of the mounting operation of the fuel tank W is completed.

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention, the fuel tank is supplied from the tank supply means by the self-propelled conveyor, and the fuel tank is received by the self-propelled conveyor of the tank assembling means and transported to the set position. Since the fuel tank was assembled to the body via the mounting band while the assembling trolley was moving synchronously with the body transfer means, a conventional loading device such as an industrial robot for charging the fuel tank was used. Since space is not required, space can be saved.

Further, since a dedicated pallet for assembling is not required, the assembling apparatus can be made compact. Further, since the fuel tank can be directly charged into the tank supply means, it is easy to cope with various models.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a fuel tank assembling process provided with a fuel tank assembling apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of a fuel tank assembling step provided with the fuel tank assembling apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a fuel tank assembling step provided with the fuel tank assembling apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a tank transfer device and a tank supply device.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the tank transfer device.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the tank supply device.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the tank assembling apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the tank assembling apparatus.

9 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 7;

FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view of an assembling trolley and a synchronizer.

FIG. 13 is a schematic side view of an assembling trolley and a synchronizer.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Tank transfer conveyor, 2 ... Body transfer conveyor (body transfer means), 3 ... Tank transfer device, 4 ... Tank supply device (tank supply means), 5 ... Body, 5a ... Body positioning hole, 6 ... Tank assembly Means (tank assembling means), 7
... Floating device (floating means), 8 ... Assembly trolley, 9 ... Transfer conveyor, 21, 22, 23, 3
1: Self-propelled conveyor, 32: Mounting band, 33a, 33b
... Mounting band receiving part, 34 ... Tank positioning pin, 35 ...
Bolt (fastening member), 36 ... fastening machine (fastening means), 37
... Body positioning pin, W ... Fuel tank, Wa ... Flange hole of fuel tank.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hirofumi Sakata 1-10-10 Shin-Sayama, Sayama-shi, Saitama Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Saitama Works (56) References JP-A-63-156628 (JP, A) JP-A-2-18183 (JP, A) JP-A-63-93530 (JP, A) JP-A-61-21873 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B62D 65/10

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An assembling truck 8 which reciprocates along the lower side of the body transporting means 2 and rises and descends, and assembles a fuel tank W mounted on the upper surface of the assembling truck 8 via a floating means 7 to the body 5 . set tank assembly unit 6 consists tank supply means 4 having a free-running conveyor for supplying the fuel tank W in the tank assembly unit 6, before Symbol tank assembly unit 6, the fuel tank W put Self-propelled conveyor 21, 22, 2
3, 31 and rise to the lower surface of the fuel tank W to abut.
And the upper end of the front and rear is attached to the front and rear end protruding in the front and rear direction
A substantially U-shaped mounting band 32 having holes 32a, 32a
Left and right mounting band receiving portions 33a, 33a
And 33b, 33b and a flange hole of the fuel tank W
Vertical movement for positioning the fuel tank W by inserting it into Wa
The front and rear ends of the mounting band 32 are tightened by tightening the tank positioning pins 34 and the bolts 35 which advance and retreat.
Up and down movement to a predetermined position of the body 5 via 2a and 32a
And fastening means 36 for securing it by a further comprising a body positioning pins 37 for positioning by the fuel tank W is fitted to the body positioning hole 5a of the body 5 moves up and down relative to the body 5 Fuel tank assembly device.