JP3665673B2 - Pallet pool machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a pallet pool machining apparatus capable of continuous unmanned operation for a long time by combining a machine tool such as a horizontal machining center and a three-dimensional pallet pool.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The pallet pool type machining apparatus includes, for example, a machine tool such as a horizontal machining center, a pallet pool having a large number of pallet shelves on which pallets are placed, a setup station for exchanging workpieces on the pallet, the machining center, and the pallet pool. , And a transport vehicle for transporting the pallet between the setup stations, and a rail on which the transport vehicle travels.
[0003]
In the pallet pool type machining apparatus, a pallet loaded with unprocessed workpieces is placed and stored on the pallet rack of the pallet pool, and the pallet is sequentially supplied to the machining center by a transport vehicle, so that a large number of workpieces can be obtained. Can be processed unattended for a long time.
[0004]
When constructing the above-mentioned conventional pallet pool type machining apparatus, the number of machining centers, the number of set-up station sets, the number of pallet shelves, and their arrangements are designed and manufactured each time according to the user's request. I was doing.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The above-described conventional method is a method of designing the number of pallet shelves and their arrangement form each time according to the user's wishes, so that flexibility when constructing the device according to the user's request, additional expansion of equipment There is a problem that the extensibility of time is low.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and has high flexibility when constructing a device according to a user's request, high expandability when adding and expanding devices, and easily changing the arrangement form. It is an object of the present invention to provide a pallet pool type machining apparatus that can be manufactured at low cost.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention of claim 1 includes a machine tool for processing a workpiece, a pallet pool having a plurality of pallet shelves on which workpiece pallets are placed, a setup station for exchanging workpieces on the pallet, and the machine tool. Pallet pool machining with a transport vehicle that transports the pallet between a machine, a pallet pool, and a setup station, and a rail that is laid between the machine tool and the pallet pool and on which the transport vehicle travels In the apparatus, the one machine tool, at least one set of pallet shelves having a basic length suitable for mounting a plurality of pallets, and the same number of rails as the basic lengths and the same number of sets as the pallet shelves It is characterized by having a basic unit having a single unit .
[0008]
Here, in the present invention, the pallet shelf length and the rail unit length are substantially the same length, the pallet shelf arrangement interval and the rail unit arrangement interval are generally different, but this arrangement This means that the lengths are the same when viewed in length including the interval.
[0009]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the basic unit includes a pallet shelf having a basic length suitable for mounting two pallets, and at least one pallet shelf and at least one pair in plan view. A single rail is arranged in parallel so that the center of the pallet loading / unloading portion of the machine tool is located on the center between the pallets mounted on the pallet shelf, or the center of the loading / unloading portion of the machine tool and the pallet shelf It is characterized in that it is constituted by arranging the machine tool so that the distance between centers mounting pallet is an integer multiple of the pallet pitch in.
[0010]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the basic unit includes the pallet shelf having a basic length suitable for mounting three pallets, and at least one pallet shelf and at least one pair in plan view. And the center of the pallet carry-in / out portion of the machine tool is positioned on the center of any pallet mounted on the pallet shelf, or the center of the carry-in / out portion of the machine tool. is characterized in that it is constituted by arranging the machine tool as described above distance between the center of any of the pallet is an integer multiple of the pallet pitch.
[0012]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the basic unit further includes a rack disposed along the rail for driving the transport vehicle , and the rack has a rack tooth pitch. It is characterized by being composed of a plurality of single racks that are integer multiples and substantially the same length as the basic length.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 to 10 are views for explaining a pallet pool type machining apparatus according to a first embodiment of the first, second, and fourth aspects of the invention. FIG. 1 shows a case where a set of basic units described later is provided. FIG. 2 is a plan configuration diagram when two sets of basic units are provided, and FIG. 3 to FIG. 10 are symbol diagrams schematically showing devices constituting the apparatus of the present embodiment.
[0014]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a pallet pool type machining apparatus, which includes a machining center 5 that processes a workpiece (not shown) that is a workpiece, a pallet pool 6 that stores a large number of pallets 2, A setup station 8 for exchanging workpieces on the pallet 2 and a transporting vehicle 9 for transporting the pallet 2 are provided. Reference numeral 10 denotes a control panel (control station) for controlling the conveyance schedule of the pallet 2. The control panel 10 is connected to the machining center 5 and the conveyance vehicle 9 by a cable 11.
[0015]
The pallet pool 6 includes a pallet shelf 3 on which two pallets 2 are mounted. The intervals between the pallets 2 and 2 stored in the pallet pool 6 are all equal pitches P.
[0016]
Further, the transport vehicle 9 meshes a pinion 9a on the transport vehicle 9 side with a rack composed of a plurality of single racks 16 on a rail composed of a plurality of single rails 12 disposed between the machining center 5 and the pallet pool 6. The pallet 2 is transported between the machining center 5 and the pallet shelf 3 of the pallet pool 6 and the setup station 8 by traveling, and the transport vehicle 9 includes the machining center 5 and the pallet shelf. 3 and a pallet transfer mechanism (not shown) for transferring the pallet 2 to and from the setup station 8 is provided.
[0017]
Further, 14a to 14d are safety fences surrounding the rail unit 12, the pallet pool 6, the setup station 8, and the like, and the safety fences 14a cover the side surface of one pallet shelf 3 and the rail unit 12 in two sets. It is set to the length that can be. Reference numeral 15 denotes an open / close door attached to the safety fence 14d.
[0018]
The length of the pallet shelf 3 in the horizontal direction in the figure is set to a basic length P1 suitable for mounting the two pallets 2 and 2, and the rail unit 12 and the rack unit 16 are the pallet shelf 3. And is set to substantially the same length. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the substantially same length means that three sets of rails and a single rack correspond to three sets of pallet shelves in a plan view. , Meaning that the single rack is configured with the same number of sets, in other words, the length including the arrangement interval is equal.
[0019]
The rack unit 16 has a length that is an integral multiple of the pitch of the rack teeth and is cut at the center of the tooth bottom.
[0020]
The plurality of pallet shelves 3, the rail unit 12, and the rack unit 16 are arranged on straight lines parallel to each other in the left-right direction in the figure. The rail unit 12 'and the rack unit 16' disposed at the left and right end portions are used for preventing derailment when the transport vehicle 9 replaces the left and right end pallets 2 and when the transport vehicle 9 is overtraveled. This is to ensure the amount of overshoot. The rail 12 ′ and the rack 16 ′ have the same length as the other rail 12 and rack 16.
[0021]
Further, the machining center 5 has a center line A of the carry-in / out section of the pallet 2 and a boundary line B between the pallet shelves 3 and 3 and the rails 2 and 2 arranged at positions facing the machining center 5, that is, The center lines between the pallets 2 and 2 are arranged so as to coincide with each other. In other words, the interval between the center line A and the center between the pallets on the pallet shelf 3 is an integral multiple of the pallet pitch P. In the present embodiment, the center line A coincides with the processing center line.
[0022]
The setup station 8 has a center line D that coincides with a center line F in the left-right longitudinal direction of the pallet shelf 3, the single rail 12, and the single rack 16 disposed at a position facing the setup station 8. Has been placed. The distance between the center line A of the loading / unloading portion of the machining center 5 and the center line D of the setup station 8 is an integral multiple of the pitch P between the pallets 2 and 2 arranged in the pallet pool 6 (three times in this embodiment). )It has become.
[0023]
Here, the new construction and additional expansion of the pallet pool machining apparatus 1 of the present embodiment are performed by freely combining the machining center 5, the pallet shelf 3, the rail unit 12, and the rack unit 16, but the present embodiment In the embodiment, for example, the basic unit G is installed by setting one set as shown in FIG. 1 or two sets as shown in FIG. The basic unit G includes one machining center 5, two sets of pallet shelves 3 in plan view, two sets of rail units 12, and two sets of rack units 16, and the machining center 5 is arranged at the center of the loading / unloading unit. It has the form arrange | positioned so that the line A and the boundary line B may correspond.
[0024]
In the example of FIG. 1, the basic unit G is set as one set, the set-up station 8, the set of rails 12, the set of racks 16, and a set of pallet shelves 3 in plan view so as to be adjacent to the unit G. In addition, a rail 12 ', a rack 16' and a control panel 10 are disposed at both ends, and the basic form of the pallet pool type machining apparatus when the pallet shelf is for two pallets is shown. There is no.
[0025]
FIG. 2 shows an example in which the apparatus is expanded by increasing the number of the basic unit G by one set. In this case, since a space for operation or inspection and maintenance is required between the machining centers 5 and 5 of the adjacent basic units G and G, a pair of pallet shelves 3 in plan view, a single rail 12 and The number of the rack unit 16 is increased by one, and the safety fences 14a and 14b are increased accordingly. In the example of FIG. 2, one set of pallet shelves 3 is further added in plan view using the distance between the machining centers 5 and 5.
[0026]
Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.
Prior to the start of processing, the processed workpiece in the pallet pool 6 is replaced with an unprocessed workpiece. First, the pallet 2 loaded with the processed workpiece on the pallet shelf 3 is transported to the setup station 8 by the transport vehicle 9, where the processed workpiece and the unprocessed workpiece are exchanged, and then the unprocessed workpiece is mounted. The pallet 2 is placed at a predetermined position on a predetermined pallet shelf 3 in the pallet pool 6 by the transport vehicle 9. In this way, unprocessed workpieces are stored in the pallet pool 6.
[0027]
When the machining start is instructed, the pallet 2 on which the unprocessed workpieces on the predetermined pallet shelf 3 are mounted is taken out by the transport vehicle 9 and supplied to the machining center 5. Further, the pallet on which the processed workpiece is mounted is taken out from the machining center 5 and returned to the predetermined pallet shelf 3.
[0028]
The new construction of the processing apparatus 1 and the subsequent additional expansion in the processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment are performed by freely combining the machining center 5, the pallet shelf 3, the rail unit 12, and the rack unit 16, so that flexibility and expandability are high. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the basic unit G composed of one machining center 5, two sets of pallet shelves 3, two sets of rail units 12, and two sets of rack units 16 is expanded as a unit, The expandability can be further improved. For example, in the case of additional expansion from the basic configuration of FIG. 1 to the example of FIG. 2, one set of the basic unit G, one set of the pallet shelf 3 in plan view, and one set of the rail unit 12 and the rack unit 16 are added. Just do it.
[0029]
As described above, in this embodiment, the pallet shelf 3 has the basic length P1 suitable for mounting two pallets 2, the rail unit 12 and the rack unit 16 have substantially the same length as the pallet shelf 3, and the pallet shelf 3 in plan view, and two sets of the single rail 12 and the single rack 16 are combined into one machining center 5 to form a basic unit G, and additional expansion is performed using the basic unit G as a unit. Therefore, flexibility and additional expandability when constructing a new device according to the user's desire are high, and the arrangement position can be easily changed. Further, since the length of the rack unit 16 is an integral multiple of the rack tooth pitch, the rack units can be joined together freely.
[0030]
Specifically, for example, the basic unit G is configured by arranging each symbol diagram on the monitor at an interval of the predetermined length P1 using a CAD system or the like using the symbol diagrams shown in FIGS. The design can be performed simply by adding or decreasing the number of steps, and the effort can be reduced accordingly. 3 to 10, 18 is the machining center 5, 19 is the setup station 8, 20 is the pallet shelf 3, 21 is the transport vehicle 9, 22 is the rail unit 12, and 23 is In the control panel 10, 24 a to 24 d are symbols of the safety fences 14 a to 14 d, and 25 is a symbol diagram of the rack unit 16.
[0031]
In addition, since the pallet 2, the pallet shelf 3, the rail unit 12, the rack unit 16, and the safety fences 14a to 14d can be generalized, the cost for designing and manufacturing each device can be reduced.
[0032]
11 and 12 are diagrams for explaining the second embodiment of claims 1, 3 and 4, and this embodiment is an example in which a pallet shelf corresponding to three pallets is adopted, In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 and FIG.
[0033]
The basic unit G ′ in the pallet pool machining apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes one machining center 5, one set of pallet shelves 4, one set of rail units 13, and one set of rack units 17 in plan view. The center line A of the pallet carry-in / out section is aligned with the longitudinal center line of the pallet rack 4, the rail unit 13, and the rack unit 17, that is, the center line C of the pallet 2 at the center. It has an arranged form.
[0034]
FIG. 11 shows a case where one set of basic units G ′ is provided, and the length of the pallet shelf 4 in the horizontal direction in the drawing is set to a predetermined length P2 suitable for mounting three pallets 2 and rails. The unit 13 and the rack unit 17 are set to have substantially the same length as the pallet shelf 4. Note that the safety fence 14b 'is shorter than 14a.
[0035]
Next to the basic unit G ′, a setup station 8, a set of rails 13 and a set of racks 17 and a set of pallet shelves 4 in plan view, the center line D of the setup station and the pallet shelves 4 Are arranged so as to coincide with the center line C in the longitudinal direction, that is, the center line C of the center pallet 2. The distance between the center line A of the loading / unloading portion of the machining center 5 and the center line D of the setup station 8 is an integral multiple of the pitch P between the pallets 2 and 2 arranged in the pallet pool 7 (three times in the present embodiment). It has become. Furthermore, a rail unit 13 'and a rack unit 17' are arranged at both ends, and a control panel 10 is arranged at one end. Thus, the pallet pool type machining apparatus in the case of three pallets 2 as a unit is arranged. The basic form is configured.
[0036]
FIG. 12 shows an example in which the apparatus is expanded by adding one set of the basic unit G ′. In this case, since a space for operation or inspection and maintenance is required between the machining centers 5 and 5 of the adjacent basic units G ′ and G ′, a pair of pallet shelves 4 and a single rail 13 are seen between the basic units in plan view. , And the rack unit 17 is increased by one set, and the safety fences 14a, 14b 'are increased accordingly. In the example of FIG. 12, one set of pallet shelves 4 is added in plan view using the distance between the machining centers 5 and 5, and two pallet shelves 4 are added in plan view between the setup station 8 and the control panel 10. One set of a set, a single rail 13 and a single rack 17 is added to increase the quantity of pallets stored so that continuous processing can be performed for a longer time.
[0037]
The center of the pallet carry-in / out section in the present invention means the center of both pallet exchange positions when there are two pallet exchange positions in the machining center 5, as shown in FIG.
[0039]
Moreover, in each said embodiment, it is also possible to provide the pallet shelf 3 in two or more steps up and down, and you may make any pallet shelf 3 arbitrarily a three-dimensional structure.
[0040]
In the first embodiment, the machining center 5 is arranged so that the center line A of the pallet carry-in / out section coincides with the boundary line between the two pallet shelves 3, 3. The machining center 5 may be arranged so that the distance between the center of the two pallets 2 and 2 on the shelf 3 and the center line A is an integral multiple of the pitch of the adjacent pallets. Similarly, in the second embodiment, the machining center 5 may be arranged so that the distance between the center of any pallet 2 of one pallet shelf 4 and the center line A is an integral multiple of the pallet pitch. .
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the pallet pool machining apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, a machine tool, a pallet shelf having a basic length suitable for mounting a plurality of pallets, and a length substantially the same as the basic length. As the unit of the rail is a basic unit, and the device can be freely selected and newly constructed and added and expanded, it is possible to construct a processing device according to the user's wishes and to make additional expansion easy. There is an effect that flexibility and expandability can be improved, and versatility such as a pallet shelf and a single rail is high, and there is an effect that manufacturing cost can be reduced.
[0042]
According to the invention of claim 2, the centers of the two pallet mounting pallet shelves, the rail unit, and the carry-in / out portion coincide with the center between the pallets on the pallet shelf, or the center of the pallet with the center of the carry-in / out portion. Since the basic unit is composed of machine tools arranged so that the interval is an integer multiple of the pallet pitch, the system design in the case where the pallet shelf has a basic length suitable for mounting two pallets is used. Flexibility and additional expandability can be improved.
[0043]
According to the invention of claim 3, the center of the three pallet mounting pallet shelves, the single rail, and the carry-in / out part coincides with the center of the pallet on the pallet shelf, or the center of the carry-in / out part and the center of any pallet Since the basic unit is composed of machine tools arranged so that the interval between them is an integral multiple of the pallet pitch, the system design when the pallet shelf is of a basic length suitable for mounting three pallets The above flexibility and additional expandability can be improved.
[0045]
According to the invention of claim 4 , the basic unit is further provided with a rack , and the rack is an integral multiple of the rack tooth pitch, and is constituted by a single rack having substantially the same length as the basic length. Racks can be joined together freely, which also improves system design flexibility and additional expandability.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan configuration diagram of a pallet pool machining apparatus according to a first embodiment of the first, second, and fourth aspects of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan configuration diagram in the case where the number of machining centers is increased to two in the apparatus of the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a machining center in the first embodiment apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a setup station in the apparatus of the first embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a pallet shelf in the apparatus of the first embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a transport vehicle in the first embodiment apparatus.
FIG. 7 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a single rail in the apparatus of the first embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a control panel in the first embodiment apparatus.
FIG. 9 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a safety fence in the first embodiment device.
FIG. 10 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a single rack in the apparatus of the first embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a plan configuration diagram of a pallet pool machining apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a plan configuration diagram when the number of machining centers is increased to two in the apparatus of the second embodiment.
FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a modification of the center of the pallet carry-in / out section in the first and second embodiments.
[Explanation of symbols]
1,1 'Pallet pool type machining device 2 Pallet 3, 4 Pallet shelf 5 Machining center (machine tool)
6,7 Pallet pool 8 Setup station 9 Transport vehicle 12, 13 Rail unit 16, 17 Rack unit A Center line of loading / unloading section B Center line between pallets P Pallet pitch P1, P2 basic length

Claims (4)

A machine tool for processing a workpiece, a pallet pool having a plurality of pallet shelves on which workpiece mounting pallets are placed, a setup station for exchanging workpieces on the pallet, the machine tool, a pallet pool, and a setup In the pallet pool type machining apparatus, comprising a transport vehicle that transports the pallet between stations, and a rail that is laid between the machine tool and the pallet pool and on which the transport vehicle travels . A basic unit comprising a machine tool, at least one set of pallet shelves having a basic length suitable for mounting a plurality of pallets, and a single unit of rails having the same length as the basic length and the same number of sets as the pallet shelves pallet pool type machining apparatus characterized in that it comprises. 2. The basic unit according to claim 1, wherein the pallet shelf has a basic length suitable for mounting two pallets, and at least one pallet shelf and at least one rail unit are arranged in parallel in a plan view. The center of the pallet loading / unloading portion of the machine tool is positioned on the center between the pallets mounted on the pallet shelf, or the center of the loading / unloading portion of the machine tool and the center between the pallets mounted on the pallet shelf. The pallet pool type machining apparatus is characterized in that the machine tools are arranged so that the interval between the two is an integer multiple of the pallet pitch. 2. The basic unit according to claim 1, wherein the pallet shelf has a basic length suitable for mounting three pallets, and at least one pallet shelf and at least one rail unit in parallel are viewed in plan view. And the center of the pallet carry-in / out part of the machine tool is positioned on the center of any pallet mounted on the pallet shelf, or the center of the carry-in / out part of the machine tool and the center of any of the pallets The pallet pool type machining apparatus is characterized in that the machine tools are arranged so that the interval between the two is an integer multiple of the pallet pitch. In any one of claims 1 to 3, the basic unit further comprises a rack for driving the transport vehicle arranged along the rail, the rack is an integer multiple of the pitch of the rack teeth, and the basic A pallet pool type machining apparatus, characterized in that it is composed of a plurality of single racks having substantially the same length as the length.

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