JP3520453B2 - Work supply system - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a work supply system for an automatic machine or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When various processes are sequentially operated by an automatic machine, generally, for example, a robot is automatically used to move a work from one process to another process. However, the transfer of a work by a robot sometimes requires a complicated operation of the robot, a complicated structure of the robot itself and a delicate movement, which is expensive and inevitably causes many failures. Moreover, even if one robot breaks down, the whole movement stops.

Therefore, the work is often supplied manually.

FIG. 7 shows a work supply mechanism in a conventional automatic machine. In the figure, 10 is an automatic machine body, 11 is a rail for supplying a work to the automatic machine body 10,
Reference numeral 12 is a rail for discharging the work that has finished working in the automatic machine body 10, 13 is a tray for storing the work 1, and 14 is a tray for storing the discharged work 1.

This supply mechanism puts the work 1 stored in the tray 13 on the supply rail 11 as indicated by arrow B ₁ and supplies it to the automatic machine body 10 as indicated by arrow B ₂ . In this way, the work 1 which has been supplied to the automatic machine 10 and completed the work there is directed to the arrow B ₃ by the discharge rail 12.
It is discharged as, the other as indicated by arrows B ₄ Tray 1
Moved to 4.

If it is necessary to work with another automatic machine other than the automatic machine body 10, it is sufficient to connect another automatic machine to the discharge rail 12.

According to this conventional work supply mechanism, the works 1 placed on the tray 13 must be manually placed on the supply rails 11 one by one. When another automatic machine is installed in a place away from the automatic machine main body 1 or when manual work is required before work with another automatic machine,
The work 1 must be manually transferred from the discharge rail 3 to the tray 14.

[0008]

As described above, according to the conventional work supply mechanism, a large number of works 1 stored in the tray 13 are manually transferred to the supply rails 11 one by one, and After the work by the automatic machine 10 etc. is completed, the discharge rail 1
Tray 1 for each work 1 sent by 2
I have to move to 4. Therefore, the number of transfer operations that one person can handle is limited.

The present invention uses a pallet capable of storing a large number of works. The pallet is provided with a work storage function and a transport supply function at the same time, so that a large number of works can be stored in an automatic machine. It is designed so that it can be transferred between automatic machines and supplied to automatic machines. It is possible to transfer between the processes while leaving many workpieces on the pallet from the first process to the final process and supply to the automatic machines. It is intended to provide a work supply system that enables work by.

[0010]

A work supply system according to the present invention uses a pallet installed in a state of being positioned on a rotary indexing table provided in an automatic machine. It is composed of a main body and a large number of work stands provided around the main body, and the work stand of this pallet is used to transfer work between processes and supply work to an automatic machine. is there.

[0011]

1 and 2 are plan views showing an outline of a work supply mechanism for one automatic machine in a work supply system according to the present invention. Positioning arranged side by side on an automatic machine body 10 as shown in FIG. On a rotary indexing table 8 having a pin 9, a work 1 is placed at equal intervals around the periphery of a pallet having the structure described below. As a result,
Work 1 located closest to the automatic machine body 10 in
Is moved as indicated by arrow A ₁ to be processed in the automatic machine body 10 and then moved as indicated by arrow A ₂ to be returned to its original position. Here, for example, by rotating the rotary indexing table 8 in the direction of arrow A ₃ , the next work 1 is moved to the position closest to the automatic machine body 10.

3 and 4 are views showing the structure of a pallet used in the work supply mechanism of the present invention. The pallet 2 has a disk shape as a whole, and has a work mounting hole 3 provided at equally divided positions in a ring-shaped portion around the pallet 2, and the work mounting table 4 is provided with a screw 5 in the mounting hole 3. It is fixed by. Positioning means (projections) 4a are formed on the work table 4 as shown in these figures.

The work 1 is set in the work stand 4 of the pallet 2. Here, by defining the positioning recess 1a in the work 1 as shown in FIG.
Can be placed in the correct orientation so that it is located at the location of the protrusion 4a.

In this way, the works 1 are set on all the work stands 3 of the pallet 2. Then, the pallet 2 is placed on the rotary indexing table 8 and the work is machined by the automatic machine by the method shown in FIG. When the processing of all the works 1 is completed, the pallet 2 is removed and moved to the next process. Here, when the next step is performed by an automatic machine, it may be placed on the rotary indexing table provided in the automatic machine in the next step as well. Also, when the next step is manual work, the pallet can be moved to the work position. Here, processing by manual work or the like is performed. When the work for all the works is completed, the pallet is moved to the next process.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the pallet 2 has a ring-shaped collar portion 2a on the outer peripheral portion of the lower end surface thereof, and a ring-shaped collar portion on the outer side of the upper end portion where the work placing table 4 is arranged. The portion 2b is formed, and the inner diameter of the collar portion 2a is equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the collar portion 2b. Therefore, a large number of pallets 2 can be stacked. Moreover, the height (depth) of the collar portion 2a
Is higher than the height of the collar portion 2b, and it is possible to stack the pallets 2 even when the work 1 is placed on the work stand 4 as shown in FIG. Further, by setting the collar portion 2a to an appropriate height, the work 1 can be prevented from coming out of the work stand 4 during the transfer.

The pallet 1 has the above structure,
Therefore, the work 1 is manually or automatically placed on all of the work stands 4 and, as described above, the automatic machine body 1 is used.
It is installed on the rotary index table 0 of 0. As a result, the first work 1 is moved to the automatic machine body 10 and, after processing, is returned to the work placing table 4 of the pallet 2 and rotated by a predetermined angle in the direction of A ₃ , and the second work 1 is moved. When the processing of all the workpieces is completed in this way, the pallet 2 is removed and moved to the next step.

As described above, all the works are moved while being placed on the pallet except during the work by the automatic machine, which is preferable in terms of work efficiency. Further, in the case of a manual process, the work can be performed while the work is placed on the work table of the pallet.

Further, as described above, a large number of pallets can be stacked, and moreover, the work can be stacked while the work is left on it. It may be installed sequentially on the rotary indexing table as described above.

Further, the movement between the respective steps can be carried out for each pallet while the work is kept therein, and similarly, until the work of the previous pallet is completed, it is convenient that the pallet or a large number of pallets can be stacked. Furthermore, it is possible to move to a very distant place such as another factory while transporting the work while accommodating the work and stacking a large number of pallets.

The pallet is light in weight for easy transportation, and in order to reduce the cost, it is made of a synthetic resin material by a method such as plastic molding or vacuum molding with press working, and is durable. It is conceivable to use a minimum amount of metal to improve the properties. That is, since the pallet body is made of lightweight and inexpensive plastic, and the work stand is made of metal or other hard material, it is inexpensive and advantageous in transportation, and wear of the work stand into which the work is put can be prevented.

In the embodiment, it is assumed that the work has a recess for positioning as shown in FIG.
Therefore, the work table has a structure in which a positioning projection is provided as a positioning means. However, when the work has a projection or a convex portion that can be positioned, a concave portion may be used as the positioning means. Further, in the case of a work having a small hole on the bottom surface, the work table may be provided with a bottom surface and a positioning pin may be attached thereto. Further, the shape of the part on which the work is placed on the work stand may be the same as that of the work, and the work stand may be positioned only by placing the work on the work stand. In any case, only the work table 4 may be provided with a positioning means adapted to the shape of the work, and this may be screwed to the mounting hole of the pallet.

[0022]

According to the work supply system of the present invention,
A large number of works can be transferred between each process while being stored in the pallet, and even if there is a manual work part during the process, the work can be performed while being put in the pallet. Therefore, the transfer between processes can be efficiently performed, and the transfer work between many processes can be performed by one.
It is possible for a person to take charge. Further, as shown in the embodiment, if the pallets can be stacked, the work of the pallets can be stored as it is, and it is convenient for long-distance transfer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a supply means of an automatic machine of a system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1 without a pallet installed.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a pallet used in the system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the pallet.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a work.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a part with pallets stacked.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a conventional work supply means.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 work 2 pallets 3 Work mounting hole 4 work stand 8 rotation index table

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pallet which can be installed while being positioned on a rotary indexing table provided in an automatic machine,
The pallet is composed of a pallet body and a large number of work rests arranged at equal intervals on the periphery of the pallet body, and the pallet has a disc shape as a whole and extends downward to the outer peripheral portion of the lower surface and the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface. Has a flange extending upwards and the inner diameter of the lower flange is approximately equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the upper flange, and the workpiece is placed on the work stand and moved sequentially to each process. Work supply system designed to perform process work. 2. The work supply system according to claim 1, wherein the pallet has a main body made of a light material such as plastic, and a work table made of a hard material. 3. The work supply system according to claim 1, wherein the work table is provided with work positioning means.