JP3197421B2 - Work alignment equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for aligning and supplying workpieces which can align a plurality of inserts in a short time and with high accuracy, for example, when arranging inserts of a molded article in a cavity.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a rubber dust cover DC as shown in FIG. 5, a molten material is injected into a cavity in a state in which a mold formed according to the shape of the dust cover is clamped, and heated and cooled. Is obtained. In such a molded product, a metal or resin insert may be embedded to partially increase the strength. Dust cover D such as a ball joint shown in FIG.
In C, ring materials W _{1 and} W ₂ for increasing the strength of the two openings are provided.
Are insert-molded.

[0003] For in insert molding of this type must be placed precisely insert material W _1, W ₂ in position in the cavity, the insert material using an expensive automated apparatus, such as a robot (work) The supplied placement accuracy is limited. In addition, when there are a plurality of such inserts and the types thereof are various, since the placement criteria are different for each insert, even if an automatic device such as the above-described robot is used, the control becomes complicated and the tact time is reduced. There is a problem that it cannot be shortened.

[0004] Therefore, the present inventors provided a dummy jig J between the insert and the cavity, and inserted the insert W1 _,
After the W ₂ placed once normal position using the dummy jig J, has developed a method of supplying collectively the insert was in the cavity. As shown in FIG. 6, this dummy jig J has steps J _1, J on which two ring members W _1, W ₂ can be placed.
₂ are formed, and after the ring members W _{1 and} W ₂ are set at the proper positions as shown in the figure, the two ring members W _{1 and} W ₂ are once transferred using a supply device to a molding machine (not shown). To supply.

[0005]

However, even if the supply of the ring material from the dummy jig into the cavity is automated, if the process of setting the ring material on the dummy jig is performed manually, a series of steps is required. However, it is not possible to achieve complete automation of the molding process, and the effect of reducing the man-hour by the automation is reduced by half. In particular, development of an automatic device capable of setting a plurality of ring members W _{1 and} W ₂ having different diameters on one dummy jig J as shown in FIG. 6 has been desired.

Although automatic devices for aligning workpieces have been known, conventional alignment devices match the alignment direction of the workpieces by a method called "shape-through". In this view-through method, the workpiece is passed through a through-hole formed in accordance with the cross-sectional shape of the workpiece, so that the alignment direction of the workpiece after passing therethrough is matched. Therefore, when targeting a small work or a work with a small difference between the front and back cross-sectional shapes, the cross section of the through hole must necessarily be approximated to the cross section of the work.
In this case, there is a problem that the work is deformed when passing through the through hole, or the work is erroneously recognized. Also, every time the type of work changes, fine adjustment of the through hole is required.

The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art, and takes out and aligns a large number of randomly input works by a required number at a desired position with high accuracy. It is an object of the present invention to provide an alignment supply device for workpieces that can be supplied.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a work aligning and feeding apparatus according to the present invention is supported by a base having a fixed position and is rotatably provided by a driving source. A drum for accommodating a work, a slide plate provided to be able to move back and forth across the inside and outside of the drum, a suction unit provided on the slide plate for suctioning the work by a suction source, an inner surface of the drum and / or
Alternatively, a guide unit is provided on the slide board and guides a work rolling in the drum to the suction unit when the drum rotates.

[0009]

[Function] A large number of works are randomly put into a drum,
The drum is rotated by the drive source. The drum is provided with a slide plate which can move forward and backward, and since the slide plate is provided with a suction portion for sucking the work, the work put in at random with the rotation of the drum is provided. Is guided to the suction section by the guide section, and then is suction-held by the suction section using the suction source. At this time, if the shape of the suction portion is formed according to the target posture of the work, the works can be aligned in a predetermined posture. In this way, the work is supplied to a target position by moving the slide plate forward while holding a required number of works by suction.

[0010]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an apparatus for aligning and supplying a work according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing the apparatus for aligning and supplying a work according to the present invention, as viewed from the direction of the arrow Y in FIG. FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing a main part of the work aligning and feeding apparatus of FIG. 1 as viewed from the direction of the arrow Z in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4A is a plan view of the work aligning and feeding apparatus of the present invention; 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 4A.

First, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the work alignment and supply apparatus according to the present embodiment, a rotating shaft 3a of a drum 3 is supported on a base 1 provided at a fixed position.
A large number of workpieces W are supplied into the inside of the drum 3 from an opening 3b formed on one side. A gear G fixed to a drive shaft 2a of an actuator (drive source) 2 attached to a lower end of the base 1
₁ is coupled to a gear G ₃ fixed to the rotating shaft 3a of the gear G ₂ through a drum 3 rotatably supported on the base 1, a reciprocating drum 3 by the actuator 2 within the range of predetermined angle Rotate. However, the rotation of the drum is not limited to the reciprocating rotation, and it is possible to rotate the drum in one direction in relation to the configuration of the guide section described later.

On the other hand, a slide plate 4 is provided at the upper part of the drum 3 so as to penetrate the drum 3 across the axial direction thereof. To and fro Therefore, the base 1 is provided with a passage hole 1a.

In order to move the slide plate 4 forward and backward, the base 1 is provided with an actuator (specifically, a rodless cylinder) 8.
The arm 10 that slides along is moved forward and backward. And
The flange 4a attached to the slide board 4 is the arm 1
When the arm 10 rotates to the position (original position) where the arm 10 is engaged, the slide plate 4 also reciprocates between the retreat limit and the advance limit by the advance and retreat of the arm 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the arm 10 and the flange 4 a are engaged with each other in the axial direction of the drum 3, but not in the rotational direction of the drum 3. The rotation of the drum 3 is allowed.

Next, a description will be given of a structure for taking out and aligning a large number of the ring members W put into the drum 3 one by one. First, a suction jig 11 is provided on the lower surface of the slide plate 4 as shown in FIG. 1, and a number of guide members 6 (6a to 6e) are provided around the suction jig 11. . As shown in FIG. 3, the suction jig 11 has a step portion 5 as a suction portion for vacuum-sucking the ring material W, and an opening 12 opened inside the step portion 5. A through hole 13 is partially formed in the suction portion 5 for sucking the ring material W. The through hole 13 communicates with a vacuum source (suction source) 7 connected to a suction jig 11. I have. Therefore,
As shown in FIG. 3, when the front and back of the ring W are guided to the suction unit 5 in the normal position, the ring W is suctioned to the suction jig 11 by the suction force from the vacuum source 7, and Even if 3 rotates to the original position (the state shown in FIG. 3), the ring material W can maintain the sucked state. The opening 12 formed in the interior of the suction unit 5 is used to move the head of the dummy jig J when the slide jig J moves up as shown in FIGS. Is an opening through which can be inserted.

On the other hand, a guide member 6 for guiding a large number of the ring members W supplied into the drum 3 to the above-described suction portion 5.
Is a guide plate 6c that forms an intake passage 14 so as to guide the ring W to the suction portion 5, a call plate 6b that guides the ring W to the intake passage 14, and a large number of ring W Call path 14
Plate 6d provided so as not to penetrate into the drum 3, a return plate 6d for guiding the ring material W in the unnecessary entrance passage 14 to the opposite side and returning it to the inside of the drum 3 again, The ring member W is constituted by a spare calling plate 6a provided so as to be smoothly guided to the calling plate 6b.

The end 14a of the call passage 14 is formed in accordance with the shape of the ring W so that the ring W is guided to the adsorbing portion 5. Is guided to the suction portion 5 as if rolling. When the ring member W is fitted to the step portion 5 serving as the suction portion, the remaining ring member is returned into the drum 3 by the return plate 6d as the drum 3 rotates. Incidentally, even if the ring material W remains in the entrance passage 14, when the drum 3 returns to the original position shown in FIG. 3, it naturally falls on the bottom surface of the drum 3, and the remaining ring material still exists. When the slide board 4 moves forward, the movement is hindered by the guide board 6c, and only the ring material W sucked by the suction portion 5 moves forward with the slide board 4.

Next, the operation will be described. First, slide board 4
A large number of ring members W are charged into the drum 3 at random in a state where is retracted to the original position as shown in FIG. The inserted ring material W accumulates on the bottom surface of the drum 3. In this state, the actuator 2 is operated to rotate the drum 3. The rotation angle of the drum 3 is not particularly limited, but is at least 180 ° or more, that is, at least the suction jig 11.
Is rotated until it reaches the lowermost surface of the drum 3. This rotation may be one-way rotation or reciprocating rotation as described above.

The ring material W charged into the drum 3 is located substantially on the lowermost surface even if the drum 3 is rotated. It reaches the lower surface, whereby a part of the multiple ring members W is guided to the suction section 5 by the guide members 6a to 6e. When the rotation of the drum 3 is repeated many times, one of the randomly input ring members W is adsorbed on the suction portion 5 in a normal posture. For example, even if the ring member W shown in FIG. 3 is fitted to the suction portion 5 in an upside down state, if the pressure of the vacuum source 7 is monitored, it is determined whether the ring member W has been sucked in a normal posture. Can be determined. Even if it cannot be identified by this, when the slide plate 4 moves forward, the guide plate 6c and the ring member W interfere with each other, preventing the slide plate 4 from moving forward or separating the ring member W from the suction portion 5. Is not supplied to the dummy jig J in an incorrect posture.

As shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, when the slide plate 4 advances to the forward limit, the dummy jig J rises, and as shown in FIG. 11
Positioning is performed by abutting the opening 12 of the opening. And
When the suction by the vacuum source 7 is released, the ring member W becomes a dummy jig J.
It will be placed in a position J ₁ to the object of. Also,
As shown in FIG. 6, two types of ring members W1 _, W having different ring diameters are shown.
_In the case where 2 is supplied to one dummy jig J, two work aligning and feeding devices having the above-described configuration are prepared, and these aligning and feeding devices are arranged around the dummy jig J (for example, radially). I do. Then, a suction jig 11 corresponding to each ring member W _1, W ₂ produced, may be placed from each of the aligning and feeding device 2 types of ring member W _1, W ₂ alternately.

The embodiments described above are described for the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and are not described for limiting the present invention. Therefore, each element disclosed in the above embodiments is intended to include all design changes and equivalents belonging to the technical scope of the present invention.

[0021]

The work aligning and feeding apparatus of the present invention is configured such that works are randomly put into a rotary drum, and the works are guided one by one to a suction unit while rotating the drum. If the portion is formed according to the shape of the work, it is possible to prevent the work from being deformed or misidentifying the type of the work as in the conventional appearance. In addition, if a plurality of such alignment supply devices are prepared and arranged at a target supply position, a plurality of types of workpieces can be supplied to one location.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a work aligning and feeding device according to the present invention.

2 is a side view showing the work aligning and feeding device of the present invention, as viewed from the direction of the arrow Y in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a main part of the work aligning and feeding device of the present invention, as viewed from the direction of arrow Z in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4A is a plan view showing the work alignment and supply device of the present invention, as viewed from the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 1, and FIG.
It is sectional drawing which follows the BB line of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a dust cover which is a molded product.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a dummy jig to which a workpiece of the present invention is supplied.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Base 1a ... 2 ... Actuator (drive source) 2a ... Drive shaft 3 ... Drum 3a ... Rotary shaft 3b ... Opening 4 ... Slide board 4a ... Flange 5 ... Suction part 6 ... Guide member (guide part) 6a ... Preliminary call Plate 6b: Call-in plate 6c: Guide plate 6d: Return plate 6e: Baffle plate 7: Vacuum source (suction source) 8: Actuator (rodless cylinder) 9: Guide rod 10: Arm 11: Suction jig 12: Opening 13 ... through hole 14 ... guide-passage 14a ... end 14b ... sidewall DC ... dust cover W, W _1, W ₂ ... ring member (work) J ... dummy jig J _1, J ₂ ... stepped portion G _1, G _{2 ,} G ₃ … gear

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A drum (3) supported on a fixed base (1) and rotatably provided by a drive source (2), and accommodating a plurality of works (W) therein; A slide plate (4) provided so as to be able to move forward and backward across the inside and outside of 3), and an adsorbing section (5) provided on the slide plate (4) and adsorbing the work (W) by an adsorption source (7). The work (W) provided on the inner surface of the drum (3) and / or on the slide plate (4) and rolling in the drum when the drum (3) is rotated is moved to the suction section (5).
And a guide section (6) for guiding the workpiece.