JP3250999B2 - Component assembly device and component assembly method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a component assembling apparatus and method for supplying a disk-shaped, annular or relatively flat cylindrical or cylindrical part to a circular hole and fitting the same. Particularly, the present invention relates to a component assembling apparatus and a component assembling method suitable for a case where high-speed assembling is required.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A large number of mechanical parts, such as washers and the like, disk-shaped, annular-shaped, column-shaped, and cylindrical-shaped parts are extremely large, and it can be said that the ability to assemble such parts at high speed is significant. Conventionally, when assembling such components, the components are aligned and assembled while measuring the relative position of the components to be assembled manually or by using an industrial robot or the like.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and a disk-shaped internal fitting part is inserted into a circular hole of a part to be fitted at a very high speed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a component assembling apparatus and a component assembling method which can be performed very simply, at low cost and reliably.

[0004]

However, in the case of manual operation, the assembly speed is limited, and it is impossible for a small number of people to assemble a large number of parts. On the other hand, in a system such as an industrial robot that controls the supply of parts and the setting of transfer speed, etc., by computer control, not only large capital investment is required, but also the operation is complicated, so it takes time to master the operation and change programming. There is such a problem. In addition, in any method using a human or an industrial robot, since the parts are stopped, the assembly speed cannot be increased so much. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component assembling apparatus for fitting an inner fitting part having a circular outer peripheral shape into a circular hole of the fitting part, wherein the fitting part is supported in a flat state. A part-to-be-conveyed means for conveying a plurality of parts to be connected in a connected state; and Internal fitting component supply means for separately supplying the fitting component and the fitting component and the fitting component in the standing condition supplied to the fitting component hole while feeding the fitting component into the fitting component. A component assembling apparatus comprising: an internal fitting component tilting unit that tilts the internal fitting component so as to be in a flat state.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the component assembling apparatus according to the first aspect, the fitted component conveying means includes a horizontal guide rail for guiding the fitted components to move in an aligned manner. A component assembling device comprising: a driving unit configured to convey the part to be fitted placed on the horizontal guide rail in a predetermined direction.

[0006] The invention described in claim 3 is claim 1 or 2.
In the component assembling apparatus described in the above, the internal fitting component supply means is constituted by a vertical guide rail that guides the internal fitting component in the direction of gravity while standing upright, and the internal fitting component discharged from the vertical guide rail is covered. A component assembling apparatus, wherein the component assembling device is disposed so as to be located on a center locus of a hole in a fitting component.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the component assembling apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the internal fitting component tilting means is provided in the upright state supplied to the hole of the component to be fitted. A contact member having an inclined portion that abuts on the fitting component and tilts as the inner fitting component is conveyed together with the fitted component, and a guide that supports the lower end of the inner fitting component when tilting the inner fitting component A component assembling apparatus characterized by comprising a support part.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the component assembling apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the lower part of the internal fitting component supplied by the internal fitting component supplying means to the fitted component transport means. Is provided, and a holding groove for holding the standing posture of the internal fitting part is provided.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the component assembling apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, a side supporting portion for supporting a lower side surface of the internal fitting component tilted by the internal fitting component tilting means. A component assembling apparatus comprising:

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component assembling method for supplying and fitting an inner fitting part having a circular outer peripheral shape into a circular hole of the fitting part, wherein the fitting part is supported in a flat state. And a conveyed part conveying step of conveying a plurality of mated parts in a connected state, and a mated part supported in a standing state and conveyed in a state of connecting a plurality of the mated parts. An inner fitting part supply step of sequentially supplying the fitting part hole while maintaining the standing state, and conveying the fitted part and the standing fitting part supplied to the fitting part hole in the standing state And a tilting step of tilting the internal fitting component supplied to the hole in the upright state and shifting to the flat state.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the component assembling method according to the seventh aspect, the step of tilting the internally fitted part includes the step of tilting the inclined part of the contact member so as to be supplied to the hole of the part to be fitted. A component assembling method comprising: abutting an inner fitting part, tilting the inner fitting part as the inner fitting part is conveyed together with the fitted part, and supporting a lower end of the inner fitting part when tilting the inner fitting part. It is.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A component assembling apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention and a component assembling method of the present invention using the apparatus will be described below with reference to the drawings. This component assembling apparatus 1 is used for fitting an internal fitting part M into a circular hole H of a fitting target part S. The relationship between the inner diameter D1 of the hole H formed in the fitted part S and the outer dimension D2 of the inner fitted part M will be described with reference to FIG. The inner diameter dimension D1 of the hole H is larger than the outer diameter D2 of the inner fitting part M. That is, the inner diameter D1 of the hole H is set so as to be slightly larger than the diagonal length D3 of the side cross section at the maximum diameter portion of the inner fitting part M. The horizontal guide rail 3 is formed with a groove 5 having a width dimension that allows the fitted part S to move in a flat state over the entire length thereof. A pair of protrusion preventing plates 7 are provided on the upper surface of the horizontal guide rail 3 at intervals.

The structure of the horizontal guide rail 3 is different for each part, and the description will be made separately for each part a and b (see FIGS. 2 to 4). A groove 5 is provided in the portion a of the horizontal guide rail 3.
Is not provided and is open (see FIG. 4A). Reference numeral 9 denotes a driving device. The driving device 9 is configured such that an endless belt 15 is stretched around a driving roller 11 and a driven roller 13. The drive roller 11 is rotated by a motor (not shown), whereby the endless belt 15 runs. The endless belt 15 is disposed so as to close the opening of the groove 5. The horizontal guide rail 3 and the driving device 9 constitute a fitted part conveying means.

A portion 5 of the horizontal guide rail 3 is provided with a groove 5 having a bottom 4 (see FIG. 4B). The portion c of the horizontal guide rail 3 is provided with a groove 5 having a bottom portion 4, and a holding groove 17 is formed in the bottom portion 4 (see FIG. 4C). The width dimension of the holding groove 17 is set slightly larger than the thickness dimension of the fitting target component S, and the depth dimension is set to approximately two-fifths of the diameter of the fitting target component S.

A guide recess 19 as a guide support is formed in the bottom 4 of the groove 5 in the portions d and e of the horizontal guide rail 3 (see FIGS. 4D and 4E). The inner surface of the guide recess 19 is a curved surface having a cross-sectional shape of an arc. A support plate housing recess 20 is formed at the center of the groove 5 formed in the portion f of the horizontal guide rail 3. (See FIG. 4 (f)). Part e of horizontal guide rail 3
And a portion f, a support plate 21 as a side support portion is provided. The support plate 21 is formed of an elongated metal plate, and is disposed at the center of the guide recess 19. The support plate 21 has an ascending gradient as it goes in the transport direction of the fitted part S and the internally fitted part M, and is horizontal from the middle.
The horizontal portion is accommodated in the support plate accommodating recess 20.

Reference numeral 23 denotes an inclined plate as a contact member. The inclined plate 23 is formed with an inclined portion 25. The inclined portion 25 faces in the transport direction when viewed from above (above the horizontal guide rail 3). The slope is ascending. The inclined plate 25 is disposed at a position closer to the transport direction side than a later-described vertical guide rail 27, and a portion where the inclined portion 25 is completed straddles the pop-out preventing plate 23. The guide concave portion 19 and the inclined plate 23 constitute an internally fitted part tilting means.

The vertical guide rail 27 comprises a main body 31 having a groove 29 formed thereon, and a closing plate 33 attached so as to close the groove 29. The width dimension of the groove 29 is formed to be slightly larger than the diameter of the inner fitting part M. The vertical guide rail 27 is provided at a position corresponding to the portion c of the horizontal guide rail 3 in a vertical posture, and the internal fitting part M accommodated in the vertical guide rail 27 is positioned at the center of the hole H of the fitting target part S. It is arranged so as to be located on the track. The internal fitting part M is accommodated in the groove 29 in an upright state, and falls from the lower end opening of the groove 29 by gravity. That is, the vertical guide rail 27 is
Has the role of guiding in the direction of gravity.

Next, a component assembling method using the component assembling apparatus 1 will be described. The fitted component S is supplied to the portion a of the horizontal guide rail 3 by a supply device (not shown), and is carried on the endless belt 15 of the driving device 9 and is carried in the carrying direction (see FIG. 4A). The fitted parts S are sequentially conveyed in a connected state without a gap. The transport speed is about 750 sheets / minute. This is the fitting part transporting step.

The hole H of the part S to be fitted is
7, the inner fitting part M enters the hole H in an upright state (see FIG. 4C). That is, the inner fitting part M is the hole H
And the lower end portion is supported by being inserted into the holding groove 17. Therefore, the inner fitting part M surely maintains the standing state.
This is the internal fitting component supply step. As described above, when the transport speed of the fitting target component S is about 750 sheets / minute, the internal fitting component supply step is 0.03 seconds.

The fitting part M falls into the hole H at a position where the center of the hole H of the fitting part S and the center of the fitting part M in the diameter direction coincide. In other words, the fitting part M is placed on the upper surface of the fitting part S at a position where the center of the hole H of the fitting part S does not coincide with the center in the diameter direction of the fitting part M. (See FIG. 4B). In this way, the internal fitting parts M are supplied one after another to the holes H of the fitting target parts S which are sequentially conveyed in a connected state.

Next, the inner fitting part tilting process will be described. When the fitted part S in which the inner fitting part M has entered the hole H is conveyed to the portion d of the horizontal guide rail 3, the inner fitting part S
Abuts against the inclined portion 25 of the inclined plate 23 (see FIG. 4D). The inclined portion 25 is above (above the horizontal guide rail 3)
4, the upper end of the inner fitting part M is pushed as the inner fitting part M is transported in the transporting direction together with the fitted part S, and the upper end of FIG.
At is tilted counterclockwise. On this occasion,
The guide recess 19 supports the lower end of the inner fitting part M. As described above, since the guide recess 19 has a curved surface with a circular arc-shaped cross section, the internal fitting part M can be smoothly tilted.

As the internal fitting part M is further transported together with the fitting target part S, it is further tilted by the inclined portion 25, and the lower end side surface of the internal fitting part M comes into contact with the support plate 21 (FIG. 4E). )reference). Further, as described above, since the support plate 21 has a rising gradient as it goes in the transport direction,
The lower end side surface of the inner fitting part M is supported so as to be lifted.
Thereby, it is possible to prevent the internal fitting part M from dropping out of the hole H of the fitting target part S.

As the internal fitting part M is further transported together with the fitting target part S, it is further tilted by the inclined portion 25, and the internal fitting part M is placed flat in the hole H.
Are supported by the support plate 21 and the bottom of the groove 5. The above-described component supply step, internal fitting component supply step, and internal fitting component tilting step are performed one after another without interruption. Then, the fitted parts S in which the internally fitted parts M are fitted into the holes H are discharged one after another outside the machine, and the process proceeds to the next step.

In the step of tilting the internally fitted part, the step of tilting the internally fitted part is performed in about 0.05 seconds when the conveying speed of the part S to be fitted is about 750 sheets / minute. As described above, in the component assembling method using the component assembling apparatus 1, the internal fitting component supplying step and the internal fitting component tilting step are performed while the fitting target component S and the internal fitting component M are conveyed. This can be performed automatically without interruption, and the time until the next step can be extremely short.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and there are changes in the design without departing from the gist of the present invention. Are also included in the present invention. For example, the horizontal guide rail 3 does not necessarily have to be straight,
It may be arc-shaped or annular as shown in FIG. FIG. 5B shows the configuration of the embodiment.
It is also possible to arrange two or more sets in series as shown in (1), and in this way, it is possible to assemble three or more parts. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the guide concave portion 19 is gradually made shallower as it goes toward the transport direction, and has the same action as the support plate 21.

In addition, as shown in FIG.
7 and the guide recess 19 are set to be relatively shallow, and the end face of the fitting part S positioned at the head among the fitting parts S placed on the horizontal guide rail 3 is set to the vertical guide rail 2.
7 is set so as to be in contact with the lower end surface of the inner fitting part M located at the lowermost position of the inner fitting part M, thereby temporarily lifting the inner fitting part M located at the lowermost position upward to abut on the upper surface of the fitted part S. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which after fitting into the hole H, it is fitted into the hole H. Further, as shown in FIG.
A shutter 37 is provided at the lower end of the fitting part S, and when the fitting part S reaches a position immediately below the vertical guide rail 27, the shutter 37 is opened to drop the inner fitting part M downward, and the hole H of the fitting part S is lowered. It is also possible to adopt a configuration that fits in. In the above embodiment, a configuration in which the holding groove 17 is not provided is also possible.

The fitting part S is required to have a circular hole H to be fitted with the inner fitting part M, but various shapes can be selected as its outer shape. , As well as a square as shown in FIG.
7 (c), or FIG.
Any shape can be used as long as it can be positioned, such as a punched metal having a large number of holes H as shown in FIG. On the other hand, the internal fitting part M is required to have a circular outer peripheral shape that fits into the hole H, but the presence or absence of a hole formed therein, the shape of the hole, the difference in the size of the hole, and the like are different. It doesn't matter.

Further, the fitting part S and the inner fitting part M
8 (a) to 8 (c) as well as those having some steps as shown in FIGS. 8 (d) and 8 (e), and corner portions as shown in FIG. 8 (f). Various shapes, such as those subjected to rounding or chamfering, can be adopted. FIGS. 8A to 8C show combinations of differences in plate thickness between the two, as apparent from the drawings.

Further, in the above embodiment, the circle formed by the outer peripheral portion of the fitting part S and the circle formed by the hole H are concentric. The component is not limited to this, and even if the center of the circle defined by the hole H is shifted (eccentric) with respect to the center of the circle defined by the outer peripheral portion of the fitted component S, the inner fitted component M
Does not interfere with the fitting of the hole H. This is because the fitting of the inner fitting part M into the hole H is not based on the outer peripheral portion of the fitting part S, but on the basis of the hole H itself of the fitting part S.

[0030]

As described above, according to the component assembling apparatus and the component assembling method of the present invention, the parts to be fitted and the internally fitted parts are carried while being transported, so that a series of assembling operations can be continuously and automatically performed without interruption. And the time until the next step can be made very short. Also, unlike a conventional industrial robot, there is no need to provide a control system with a computer having a complicated mechanism, so that the apparatus can be inexpensive and complicated operations are not required.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a component assembling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the component assembling apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a component assembling apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing step by step each assembly process in the component assembling method according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment in which a horizontal guide rail is formed in an arc shape in a component assembling apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and an embodiment in which two sets of the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention are arranged in series. It is a top view which shows a form.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing two types of configurations that can implement a component assembling method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a skeletal plan view showing various planar shapes of a part to be fitted to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 8 is a skeleton side sectional view showing various side shapes of a fitted part and an internally fitted part to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between an inner diameter of a hole in a part to be fitted to which the present invention is applied and a diagonal length of a side cross section at a maximum diameter portion of the inner fitting part.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 component assembly device 3 horizontal guide rail 5 groove 9 drive device 17 holding groove 19 guide concave portion 21 support plate 23 inclined plate 25 inclined portion 27 vertical guide rail

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-48-81261 (JP, A) JP-A-50-143273 (JP, A) JP-A-4-148726 (JP, A) JP-A-10-190284 (JP, A) , A) Japanese Utility Model Showa 49-86577 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Showa 55-148013 (JP, U) Japanese Patent Publication No. 36-13153 (JP, B1) (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB Name) B23P 19/00-21/00 B65G 47/00-47/32 B65B 35/12 B65B 35/56

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] A part assembling apparatus for fitting an inner fitting part having a circular outer peripheral shape into a circular hole of the fitting part. A mating part conveying means for conveying the mating parts in a connected state, and supporting the inner mating parts in an upright state, and erecting a plurality of the mating parts in the holes of the mating parts being conveyed. The internal fitting supply means for separately supplying the internal fitting while maintaining the state, and the internal fitting in the hole while transporting the component to be fitted and the internal fitting component in a standing state supplied to the hole of the component to be fitted. A component assembling apparatus comprising: an internal fitting component tilting means for tilting a component to a flat state. 2. The component assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fitted component transport means includes a horizontal guide rail for guiding the fitted components to move in an aligned manner, and is mounted on the horizontal guide rail. And a driving means for transporting the placed component in a predetermined direction. 3. The component assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said internal fitting component supply means is constituted by a vertical guide rail which guides the internal fitting component in the direction of gravity while standing upright. A component assembling apparatus, wherein the internal fitting component discharged from the rail is arranged so as to be located on the center locus of a hole in the component to be fitted. 4. A component assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said internal fitting component tilting means contacts an internal fitting component in a standing state supplied to a hole of the component to be fitted. A contact member provided with an inclined portion for tilting the internal fitting component as it is conveyed together with the fitted component, and a guide support portion for supporting the lower end of the internal fitting component when tilting the internal fitting component. A parts assembling apparatus characterized in that: 5. The component assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a lower part of the internal fitting component supplied by the internal fitting component supplying means enters the fitting component transporting means, and A component assembling apparatus, characterized in that a holding groove is provided for holding the standing posture. 6. The component assembling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a side surface supporting portion for supporting a lower side surface of the internal fitting component tilted by the internal fitting component tilting means. Parts assembling equipment. 7. A component assembling method for supplying and fitting an inner fitting part having a circular outer peripheral shape into a circular hole of the fitting part, wherein the fitting part is supported in a flat state and a plurality of fitting parts are supported. A mating part conveying step of conveying the mating part in a connected state, and a hole of the mating part which is conveyed in a state where a plurality of the mating parts are connected while supporting the inner mating part in an upright state. An internal fitting part supplying step of sequentially supplying the internal fitting part while maintaining the standing state, and supplying the fitted part and the internal fitting part in the standing state supplied to the hole of the fitted part to the hole while transporting the same. A step of tilting the set inner fitting part in a standing state and shifting to a flat state. 8. The part assembling method according to claim 7, wherein the step of tilting the inner fitting part includes a step of abutting the inner fitting part in the standing state supplied to the hole of the part to be fitted to the inclined part of the abutting member. A part assembling method, wherein the inner fitting part is tilted as it is conveyed together with the part to be fitted, and the lower end of the inner fitting part is supported when the inner fitting part is tilted.