JP3680559B2 - Connecting rod sorter - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connecting rod sorter that sets each weight of a predetermined number of connecting rods for one engine to one set.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When assembling the engine, for example, in the case of a 6-cylinder engine, six connecting rods (hereinafter referred to as connecting rods) having the same weight are provided as a set and supplied to an engine assembly section. For this purpose, a connecting rod sorter provided in JP-A-7-002322 is used. As shown in FIG. 8, this conventional connecting rod sorter measures the weight of the connecting rod carried in from the loading station 1 in a laying posture by the weight measuring device 2, attaches a mark, and then centers the robot 4. Then, the robot 4 stores each of the storage shelves 3 arranged in a fan shape (radially) according to weight in the plane according to weight. When a predetermined number of connecting rods are arranged in the storage shelf 3, the robot 4 transports them to the unloading station 5. It is the structure which was made to do.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional connecting rod sorter described above, the robot 4 moves between the loading station 1, the storage shelf 3, and the unloading station 5 while holding the connecting rod to carry in and out the connecting rod. The cycle time is long and the robot 4 is used, so that the cost of the equipment itself and peripheral equipment for control are expensive, and a large number of storage shelves 3 are fan-shaped (radial) in a plane. Because of the arrangement, a large work area of the robot is required.
[0004]
The purpose of the present invention is to shorten the cycle time of the connecting rod between the loading station, the storage shelf, and the unloading station, and reduce the occupied area of the storage shelf for storing by weight, so that a large number of connecting rods can be stored. It is to provide a connecting rod sorter.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention , as described in claim 1, the connecting rod measured by the weight measuring device is loaded into the storage shelf from the loading station by weight and stored, and stored in the storage shelf. This is a connecting rod sorter that carries out a predetermined number of connecting rods to a carry-out station at the same time. This three- dimensional storage shelf is provided with a large number of connecting rod suspension parts for suspending and storing a predetermined number of connecting rods by weight. Between the loading station and the unloading station that are provided facing each other across the shelf, it is provided so as to be movable up and down, left and right within an elevation plane intersecting the loading direction of the connecting rod, and to the three-dimensional storage shelf of the connecting rod consisting of the extrusion apparatus for unloading to loading and unloading station carrying detemir The is characterized in that provided.
[0006]
Further, as described in claim 2, between the connecting rod loading station and the three-dimensional storage shelf, the connecting rod stored in the three-dimensional storage shelf is converted into a posture to be suspended on the connecting rod suspension portion of the three-dimensional storage shelf. The connecting rod posture changing mechanism is provided .
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a loading station into which a connecting rod W (hereinafter referred to as a connecting rod) in a sleeping position is loaded, 2 is a weight measuring device for the connecting rod W, 6 is a posture changing mechanism for the connecting rod W, and 7 is the aforementioned A three-dimensional storage shelf (conrod magazine) for storing a predetermined number of connecting rods W measured by the weight measuring device 2 by weight, 8 is a discharge station for carrying out a predetermined number of connecting rods W from the three-dimensional storage shelf 7, and this discharge station 8 is It is provided opposite to the posture changing mechanism 6 on the loading station 1 side with the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 in between.
[0008]
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a lift-and-carry type transfer bar 23 is arranged from the carry-in station 1 to the posture changing mechanism 6, and the connecting rod W carried into the carry-in station 1 by the transfer bar 23 is weighted. It is conveyed to the measuring device 2 and the posture changing device 6.
[0009]
The posture changing mechanism 6 is provided with guide plates 6a that support only both sides of the large end portion of the connecting rod W in a laid posture pushed out in the direction of the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 by an extrusion device to be described later, By supporting both sides of the large end portion of the connecting rod W, as shown in FIG. 4, the large end portion is turned upward and the small end portion is converted into a posture that hangs downward in the vertical axis direction by its own weight.
[0010]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 includes a predetermined number of connecting rods W (for example, six in the case of a 6-cylinder engine). The suspension portion 9 for suspending the large end is provided in several rows in the horizontal direction and in several stages in the vertical direction, and the suspension rods 9 are arranged in the loading direction of the connecting rod W so as to coincide with the posture changing mechanism 6. It is provided so as to be movable up and down and left and right within an elevation in the direction of crossing.
[0011]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the vertical storage structure of the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 is fixed on the floor by left and right support columns 10 and horizontal rails 11 fixed on the left and right support columns 10. It consists of a frame body, left and right support columns 12, and a horizontal rail 13 fixed on the left and right support columns 12, and the upper part is guided by an upper guide rail 14 provided on the horizontal beam 11 of the fixed frame body, A lower frame is provided with a movable frame body that is guided by a lower guide rail 15 that is laid in parallel to the upper guide rail 14 on the lower surface of the fixed frame body and is movable in the left-right direction within the fixed frame body. Further, the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 is guided by a vertical guide rail 19 provided on the support column 12 of the movable frame body so as to be movable in the vertical direction.
[0012]
The moving structure of the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 in the vertical and horizontal directions includes a servo motor 12 provided with a position detecting encoder provided at an end of the column 12 of the movable frame, a ball screw 17 rotated by the servo motor 12, A servo motor 20 provided with a vertical movement mechanism by a nut 18 screwed into the ball screw 17 and connected to the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 and a position detection encoder provided at an end of the horizontal beam 14 of the fixed frame body. And a left and right direction moving mechanism by a nut 22 that is screwed into a ball screw 21 that is rotated by the servo motor 20 and that is connected to the horizontal rail 13 of the movable frame body, and the left and right direction of the movable frame body within the fixed frame body. As a result, the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 moves integrally, and the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 itself moves in the vertical direction within the movable frame.
[0013]
The movement control in the vertical and horizontal directions of the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 is based on the weight measurement signal of the connecting rod W measured by the weight measuring device 2 by setting each suspension part 9 of the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 in advance by weight. The servo motors 12 and 20 are controlled by the controller so that the predetermined suspension portion 9 is aligned with the posture changing mechanism 6 to move the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 in the vertical and horizontal directions.
[0014]
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the unloading station 8 is provided with a suspension portion 28 for suspending the large end of the connecting rod W in the same manner as the suspension portion 9 of the three-dimensional storage shelf 7. A predetermined number of connecting rods W are delivered from the suspension 9.
[0015]
Storage of the connecting rod W from the posture changing mechanism 6 to the suspension portion 9 of the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 and unloading from the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 to the suspension portion 28 of the unloading station 8 are performed by an extrusion device. This extrusion apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0016]
In the push-out device, a pusher 27 is disposed in front of the posture changing mechanism 6 so as to be linearly movable between the carry-in station 1 and the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 or the carry-out station 8. A long rack shaft 24 extending in parallel with the transfer bar 23 is extended to the pusher 27, and a pinion 26 that rotates forward and backward by a motor 25 is engaged with the pusher 27. Therefore, the pusher 27 moves forward and backward by the forward and backward movement of the rack shaft 24 by the rotation of the pinion 26 by the motor 25. As shown in FIG. 5, the forward / backward stroke of the pusher 27 is a long stroke S <b> 1 necessary for pushing the connecting rod W suspended on the suspension portion 9 of the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 to the suspension portion 28 of the carry-out station 8 and delivering it. And a short stroke S2 necessary for pushing and delivering the posture change mechanism 6 to the suspension portion 9 of the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 from the front side. When the pusher 27 moves forward with a short stroke S2, the connecting rod W in the posture laid down by the posture changing mechanism 6 is pushed up so that the guide plate 6a supports only both sides of the large end portion, and the large end portion is moved upward. It is converted into a posture in the vertical axis direction. Further, the stroke S2 is set so that the stroke S2 becomes shorter every time the number of the connecting rods W suspended on the same suspension portion 9 increases.
[0017]
Since the present invention has the structure as described above, the connecting rod W carried into the carry-in station 1 is sequentially conveyed to the weight measuring device 2 by the transfer bar 23 and from the weight measuring device 2 to the posture changing mechanism 6. The weight measuring device 2 measures the weight of the conveyed connecting rod W, and based on the weight measurement signal, the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 moves up and down, left and right, and is set according to the weight for storing the measured weight connecting rod W. The suspension portion 9 is positioned at a position that matches the posture changing mechanism 6.
[0018]
Thereafter, the pusher 27 moves forward and backward with a short stroke S2 to change the posture of the connecting rod W whose weight has been measured in the vertical direction, and stores it in the predetermined suspension portion 9 of the positioned three-dimensional storage shelf 7. By repeating such an operation, a predetermined number (6 in the case of a 6-cylinder engine, 4 in the case of a 4-cylinder engine) of connecting rods W are stored in each predetermined suspension portion 9.
[0019]
The connecting rod W stored in the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 is carried out to the carry-out station 8 by moving the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 up and down, left and right so that each suspension portion 9 of the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 coincides with the suspension portion 28 of the carry-out station 8. By moving and positioning, the pusher 27 is moved forward and backward with a long stroke S1 to simultaneously extrude a predetermined number of connecting rods W stored in the suspension portion 9 of the three-dimensional storage shelf 7 and move to the suspension portion 28 of the unloading station 8. It is listed. The connecting rod W carried out to the carrying-out station 8 is carried to the engine assembly work site.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, since the storage shelf for storing a predetermined number of connecting rods by weight is a three-dimensional storage shelf, the plane area occupied by the storage shelf can be small, and the weighted connecting rod can be stored. As the storage shelf moves up and down, left and right, the posture is changed by the extrusion device and the posture conversion mechanism, and the weight is stored in a predetermined part of the storage shelf according to the weight. The connecting rod can be selected with a simple and inexpensive configuration without using it.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of a three-dimensional storage shelf. FIG. 3 is a view taken along arrow AA in FIG. Plan view of extrusion device and attitude change mechanism [Fig. 6] Front view of suspension section of three-dimensional storage shelf [Fig. 7] Front view of suspension section of carry-out station [Fig. 8] Plan view of conventional connecting rod sorter [reference number] Description】
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Carry-in station 2 Weight measuring device 6 Posture change mechanism 7 Three-dimensional storage shelf 8 Carry-out station 16 Servo motor 20 Servo motor 27 Pusher

Claims (2)

A connecting rod sorter that carries connecting rods measured by a weight measuring device by weight into a storage shelf from a loading station and stores them, and simultaneously carries out a predetermined number of connecting rods stored in the storage shelf to a loading station, A connecting storage rod provided with a plurality of connecting rod suspensions for suspending and storing a predetermined number of connecting rods according to weight between the loading station and the unloading station with the three- dimensional storage shelf interposed therebetween. A loading / unloading means comprising an extrusion device for moving the connecting rod to the three-dimensional storage shelf and unloading to the unloading station, which is provided so as to be movable up and down and left and right within an elevation plane intersecting with the loading direction. Connecting rod sorter characterized by being provided. Between the connecting rod loading station and the three-dimensional storage shelf, a connecting rod posture conversion mechanism that converts the connecting rod stored in the three-dimensional storage shelf into a posture for hanging on the connecting rod suspension part of the three-dimensional storage shelf is provided. The connecting rod sorter according to claim 1.

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