JP4190808B2 - Sphere support device for transfer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sphere support device for transferring an object that movably supports an object by a sphere that is rotatably supported.
[0002]
[Prior art]
This type of device is configured to rotatably support a large main sphere on a concave spherical surface via a large number of small subspheres, and to support an object by the main sphere so that the object can be transferred. For example, when an object having a flat bottom surface is supported by several main spheres, the main sphere is rotatable, so that the object can be moved in an arbitrary direction with a small force.
In order to stop or decelerate the movement of an object when the object is supported and transferred by a conventional transfer sphere support device, a device other than the transfer sphere support device, for example, a stopper, a pusher, a guide, etc. A force in a direction to resist the moving direction is given by, for example.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When the object being transferred is stopped by a stopper, for example, a means for providing a buffering part or holding it low at the expense of the transfer speed is provided in order to avoid inconvenience due to a large impact if the transfer speed is high. Be taken. In such a case, if a braking force can be applied to the object on the side of the transfer sphere support device, the impact can be reduced by reducing the speed before the stopper action even if the transfer speed is increased to some extent. It is advantageous for improvement.
Further, since the transfer sphere support device does not have directionality unlike the roller, the support surface by the main sphere is tilted or tilted even if some main spheres support the transfer object. Then, since the movement starts in the direction of the inclination, there is a possibility that an unexpected movement in an unexpected direction occurs. For example, when it is desired to temporarily hold a transferred object during transfer, the transferred object will not be held and will start to move unintentionally unless the level is strictly maintained. In such a case, if the movement can be suppressed on the side of the transfer sphere support device, it is advantageous in the case where the transfer object is transferred while being loaded on the transfer sphere support device.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus capable of applying a braking action to an object being transferred by a transfer sphere support device from the transfer sphere support device side.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The transfer sphere support device of the present invention has one main sphere. The concave spherical member has a concave spherical surface and rotatably supports the main sphere on the concave spherical surface via a number of subspheres. A lid member is located above the concave spherical member, and the lid member has an inner hole from which the upper part of the main sphere projects. A cylinder portion is coupled to the lid member and surrounds the concave spherical member and extends downward. A piston portion is formed on the concave spherical member and slides in the cylinder portion. A rod cover is provided at the lower end of the cylinder part, and a pressure chamber is formed between the cylinder part and the piston part. The rod portion penetrates the rod cover from the piston portion, extends outside, and is fixed to the base. The fluid passage supplies a pressure fluid to the pressure chamber and lowers and displaces the cylinder part to bring the main sphere in a braking state in which the edge of the inner hole is in press contact with the main sphere. In a state in which the pressure fluid is not supplied to the pressure chamber, the return means returns to the free rolling state of the main sphere in which the edge of the inner hole approaches the main sphere with a minute gap.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the transfer sphere support device 1 includes a concave spherical member 2, a main sphere 3, a sub sphere 4, a lid member 5, a lid member driving means 6, and the like. Yes. The concave spherical member 2 is formed by forming a concave spherical surface 10 on the upper end surface of a short cylindrical member. On the concave spherical surface 10, a large number of small-diameter subspheres 4 are arranged in one layer, and a large-diameter main sphere 3 is placed thereon. Accordingly, the main sphere 3 is supported by the concave spherical surface via the sub sphere 4 and is rotatable. The lid member 5 is provided with a circular hole 11 in a plate shape so that the upper part of the main sphere 3 protrudes.
[0013]
The lid member driving means 6 is provided with an air cylinder (fluid pressure cylinder) 12 as a braking means for the main sphere 3. The air cylinder 12 has a cylinder portion 13 whose upper end is coupled to the lid member 5, a middle portion extending downward surrounds the concave spherical member 2, and a rod cover 14 is provided at the lower end. The piston 15 is formed of the concave spherical member 2 and is provided with a rod portion 16 penetrating the rod cover 14 at the lower end portion. A male screw portion 18 is provided at the lower portion of the rod portion 16 to be fixed to the base 17. A pressure chamber 19 formed between the piston 15 and the rod cover 14 can supply and discharge pressure fluid via a fluid passage 20 provided through the rod portion 16. In the figure, 21 and 22 are O-rings, and 23 is a return spring. The lid member 5 is originally provided mainly for preventing the main sphere 3 and the sub sphere 4 from jumping out from the concave spherical member 2 side, and is fixed to the concave spherical member 2. In this embodiment, in order to add a braking function separately, the lower part is formed in the cylinder part 13 so that it can be displaced vertically.
[0014]
When the compressed sphere support device 1 is not supplying compressed air to the pressure chamber 19, the lid member 5 and the cylinder portion 13 are lifted by the action of the return spring 23 as shown in FIG. In other words, a minute gap 24 is formed between the inner edge of the circular hole 11 of the lid member 5 and the main sphere 3, and the object 25 is supported by the main sphere 3 that is not braked. This state is the same as that of a conventional transfer sphere support device that can move the object 25 in an arbitrary direction with a small force. It should be noted that the lift positions of the lid member 5 and the cylinder portion 13 are adjusted so that the minute gap 24 can be adjusted by appropriate limiting means. When compressed air is supplied, the cylinder portion 13 and the lid member 5 descend against the return spring 23, and the inner edge of the circular hole 11 of the lid member 5 is located above the main sphere 3 as shown in FIG. Is applied to the main ball 3 to apply a braking action. Accordingly, since the rotation of the main sphere 3 decreases and stops, the moving speed of the object 25 supported by the main sphere 3 decreases and stops. The deceleration and stop operations of the object 25 can be arbitrarily controlled by controlling the supplied compressed air.
[0015]
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the transfer sphere support device 1a includes a concave spherical member 2a, a main sphere 3, a sub sphere 4, a lid member 5a, a rolling restraint means 30 for the sub sphere, and the like. It is configured. The concave spherical member 2a is formed by forming a concave spherical surface 10 on the upper end surface of a short cylindrical member, and providing a flange portion 31 protruding outward for attachment to a base or the like at the lower end. On the concave spherical surface 10, a large number of small-diameter subspheres 4 are arranged in one layer, and a large-diameter main sphere 3 is placed thereon. Accordingly, the main sphere 3 is supported by the concave spherical surface 10 via the sub sphere 4 and is rotatable. The lid member 5a is provided with a circular hole 11 at the center of a disk-shaped member so that the upper part of the main sphere 3 protrudes. The lid member 5 includes, for example, four concave spherical members 2 a in a state where the main sphere 3 protrudes from the circular hole 11 and the inner edge of the circular hole 11 is close to the main sphere 3 through a minute gap 24. Are fixed at intervals by legs 32 made of pins having a circular cross section.
[0016]
The secondary ball rolling restraining means 30 includes a pressing member 33 and its driving means 34. The pressure member 33 is provided on the open side, that is, on the upper side of the subsphere housing gap between the surface of the main sphere 3 and the concave spherical surface 10, and can be moved up and down with the leg-shaped portion 32 as a guide portion. The ring-shaped subsphere group has an annular contact portion 35 that comes into contact with the upper edge of the subsphere group, and is formed of, for example, a circular steel plate having a center hole 36. The driving means 34 is an electromagnetic wire ring that presses and drives the pressure member 33 only downward or downward and upward. In the case of driving only downward, a return spring 37 is provided.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the transfer sphere support device 1a has an inner edge of the circular hole 11 of the lid member 5a and the main sphere 3 when the pressing member 33 is pressed upward by the driving means 34. A minute gap 24 is formed between the main sphere 3 and the main sphere 3 which is not braked. This state is the same as that of a conventional transfer sphere support device that can move the object 25 in an arbitrary direction with a small force. When the pressing member 33 is pressed downward by the driving means 34, the upper edge of the group of subspheres 4 is pressed by the pressing member 33 as shown in FIG. The subsphere 4 cannot be freely circulated. That is, the state in which the main sphere 3 rolls, that is, the state in which the transferred object can be transferred is a state in which the sub sphere 4 freely circulates while rolling on the concave spherical surface 10 along the rolling direction of the main sphere 3. The freely circulating state is restrained by the pressing force of the pressing member 33. Accordingly, when the rolling of each subsphere 4 is restricted, a braking force acts on the rolling of the main sphere 3. The raising / lowering drive of the pressure member 33 can be arbitrarily operated by the driving means 34, so that the main sphere 3 being supported can be braked arbitrarily while supporting the object.
[0018]
The driving means 6 for the lid member 5 described in the above embodiment can also be applied as a driving means for the pressure member 33, and the driving means 34 for the pressure member 33 can also be applied as a driving means for the lid member 5. . Although the fluid pressure cylinder is shown as an air cylinder, it can be a hydraulic cylinder. In addition to fluid pressure and electromagnetic force, when a specific transfer sphere support device is used with a predetermined braking function, a screw may be used as the driving means.
[0019]
As understood from the above-described embodiment, the object being transferred is decelerated by braking the main sphere 3 directly or by braking the main sphere 3 by restraining the rolling of the sub sphere 4. It becomes a transfer sphere support device that can be stopped or stopped and held in a stopped state.
[0020]
According to one aspect of the present invention, with a simple configuration, to provide an advantage that can be held from the transfer for the sphere supporting device side to the object in transport giving braking force reduction or stop, or the stop position, further The braking action force applied to the main sphere can be adjusted relatively easily .
[Brief description of the drawings]
1A and 1B show different states of the first embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is a longitudinal sectional view of a main sphere in a free rotation state, and FIG. 1B is a longitudinal sectional view of a braking state of the main sphere.
2A and 2B show different states of the second embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 2A is a longitudinal sectional view of a main sphere in a free rotation state, and FIG. 2B is a longitudinal sectional view of a braking state of the main sphere.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1a Transfer sphere support device 2, 2a Concave spherical member 3 Main sphere 4 Sub sphere 5, 5a Lid member 6 Lid member driving means 10 Concave spherical surface 11 Circular hole 12 Air cylinder (fluid pressure cylinder)
13 Cylinder part 14 Rod cover 15 Piston 16 Rod part 17 Base 18 Male thread part 19 Pressure chamber 20 Fluid passage 21, 22 O-ring 23 Return spring 24 Micro gap 25 Object 31 Flange part 32 Leg part 33 Pressure member 34 Drive means 35 Contact Part 36 center hole 37 return spring

Claims (1)

One main sphere,
A concave spherical member having a concave spherical surface and rotatably supporting the main sphere on the concave spherical surface via a number of subspheres;
A lid member located above the concave spherical member and having an inner hole from which an upper portion of the main sphere projects;
A cylinder portion coupled to the lid member and surrounding the concave spherical member and extending downward;
A piston portion formed in the concave spherical member and sliding in the cylinder portion;
A rod cover provided at the lower end of the cylinder part and forming a pressure chamber with the piston part;
A rod portion that extends from the piston portion through the rod cover, extends outward, and is fixed to the base;
A fluid passage for supplying a pressure fluid to the pressure chamber, causing the cylinder portion to be displaced downward, and causing the edge of the inner hole to be in pressure contact with the main sphere, so that the main sphere is in a braking state;
In a non-supply state of the pressure fluid to the pressure chamber, return means for bringing the main sphere into a free rolling state in which the edge of the inner hole approaches the main sphere with a minute gap;
Sphere support device for transfer provided .

Images