JP4274101B2 - Transport system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a transport system that transports an object to be transported.

  Conventionally, a number of systems for transporting processed objects that have been processed have been proposed. For example, in a production line such as an automobile, a conveyance system using a belt conveyor is used. This is a system in which the object to be conveyed output from the processing machine is held by an electromagnet provided on the belt conveyor, and the object to be conveyed is conveyed by driving the belt conveyor. At this time, the object to be conveyed is held on the lower surface of the belt conveyor. And when reaching a predetermined conveyance position, the magnetic force of the electromagnet is released, and the object to be conveyed is dropped from the belt conveyor. Thereby, a to-be-conveyed object can be accumulate | stored in a predetermined accumulation position.

  Patent Document 1 below discloses a transport system using a plurality of articulated robot arms. In this transfer system, a plurality of articulated robot arms are provided along the transfer path. Each articulated robot arm includes a grip portion for holding an end of the object to be conveyed, and a single object to be conveyed is held by the two articulated robot arms. Then, the transported object is transported by sequentially transferring the held transported object to the other two articulated robot arms adjacent to the downstream side. Patent Documents 2 and 3 below disclose a transport system that transports an object to be transported by a robot having a suction unit such as a vacuum cup.

JP 2003-300177 A Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-39966 Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-20949

  However, in a transport system using a belt conveyor, the belt may be damaged by the transported object when the transported object is received from the processing machine. In such a case, the object to be conveyed is damaged by the conveyor debris exiting from the inside of the belt conveyor, causing a problem that the quality of the object to be conveyed is lowered. In addition, since the transported object is dropped to the accumulation position, the transported object may be damaged by the dropping. That is, in the conveyance system using the belt conveyor, the quality of the conveyed object may be deteriorated. In addition, since the object to be conveyed is held using an electromagnet, the object to be conveyed made of a nonmagnetic material such as an aluminum material cannot be conveyed. In addition, since the magnetic force remains even after the power supply to the electromagnet is stopped, it is difficult to control the timing of power supply stop. Furthermore, since the accumulation position of the object to be conveyed is provided in the conveyance path process, there is also a problem that the entire length of the conveyance system becomes long.

  Since the articulated robot arm of the transport system of Patent Document 1 clamps the end of the transported object, two or more articulated robot arms are required to hold a single transported object. As a result, the configuration of the entire system is complicated, and the cost is increased.

  The transport systems disclosed in Patent Documents 2 and 3 are transport systems for transporting a relatively short distance and a distance that is about the driving range of one robot, and transporting a long distance that exceeds the driving range of one robot. It was not applicable to the system.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a transport system that can transport a transported object more easily at a desired distance.

The transport system of the present invention is a transport system that transports a transported object, and includes a holding unit that holds the transported object, and an arm that can drive the transported object together with the holding unit in a transport direction in a horizontal plane. A plurality of transport robots provided in the transport direction, and a control means for controlling each transport robot so as to sequentially pass the held object to be transported to another transport robot located downstream in the transport direction ; A support stand that is provided along the path and supports the object to be conveyed, and the holding unit of the transfer robot adsorbs the object to be transferred and holds the object to be transferred from the lower surface, and the transfer robot holds the object. It is characterized in that the object to be conveyed is conveyed while sliding on the support table, and the object to be conveyed is transferred to another conveying robot located downstream in the conveying direction .

In a preferred aspect, the plurality of transfer robots are arranged in a zigzag pattern alternately arranged on the left and right of the transfer path, and the transfer robot located on the right side of the transfer path holds the right side from the center of gravity of the object to be transferred, The transfer robot located on the left side of the transfer path holds the left side from the center of gravity of the transferred object. In another preferred aspect, the apparatus includes a stacking device that stacks the objects to be transported which are transported to a predetermined transport position by a plurality of transport robots on the left and right of the transport path. Desirably, the stacking device is a robot arm including a holding unit that holds the object to be transported and an arm that can be driven in a direction intersecting the transport path. It is desirable that the holding unit of the stacking device is held by the object to be transported by suction. More preferably, the holding unit of the stacking apparatus can hold a plurality of objects to be conveyed. More preferably , the holding unit of the stacking apparatus holds the conveyed object from the upper surface.

In another preferred embodiment, supporting Jidai extends in the conveying direction, and a plurality of bar-like member arranged at a distance in the conveyance path width direction. Each bar-like member preferably has a position adjusting means for adjusting its position.

  In another preferable aspect, the transfer system includes a position adjusting unit that adjusts the positions of the plurality of transfer robots. Preferably, the position adjusting means adjusts the positions of the plurality of transfer robots by moving a plate-like member on which the plurality of transfer robots are installed in the horizontal direction.

  According to the present invention, since the objects to be transferred are sequentially transferred by the plurality of transfer robots, the objects to be transferred can be transferred at a desired distance more easily.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, the perspective view of the conveyance system 10 which is embodiment of this invention is shown. 2 and 3 are top views of the transport system 10, and FIG. 4 is a side view. In FIG. 2, illustration of some elements is omitted for easy viewing. In the drawings shown below, some elements are omitted from illustration, and the quantity and scale are changed as appropriate for the sake of easy viewing.

  The transport system 10 is a system that, after transporting the object to be transported 12 output from the processing machine 100 to the downstream of the transport path, mounts and accumulates on the mounting table 24 positioned on the left and right of the transport path. The transfer system 10 includes a plurality of transfer robots 14 and a support base 17 provided along a transfer path. Each transfer robot 14 is controlled to sequentially pass the held object to be transferred to another transfer robot 14 located on the downstream side. And thereby, a to-be-conveyed object is conveyed downstream. A stacking robot 18 is provided at the downstream end of the transport path, and the transported object 12 is placed on a mounting table 24 provided on the left and right of the transport path and accumulated. Hereinafter, the transport system 10 will be described in detail.

  First, the transfer robot 14 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the transfer robot 14. The transfer robot 14 includes a robot arm 31 including a plurality of arms 32, 34, and 36 and a holding unit 37 that holds the object to be transferred 12. The first arm 32 connected to the base portion 30 of the robot arm 31 is rotatable in a horizontal plane, and a second arm 34 is connected to the tip thereof. The second arm 34 can also rotate in a horizontal plane, and a third arm 36 is connected to the tip of the second arm 34. The third arm 36 can rotate in a horizontal plane and linearly move in the vertical direction, and a suction cup 38 is connected to the tip of the third arm 36. The robot arm 31 drives these three arms 32, 34, and 36 in accordance with instructions from a system control unit described later, and moves the suction cup 38 to a desired position.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 5B, some of the transfer robots 14 have an extension arm 40 between the second arm 34 and the third arm 36 to widen its driving range. The extension arm 40 has one end connected to the second arm 34 and the other end connected to the third arm 36, and can rotate in a horizontal plane. However, the two types of robot arms 31 illustrated here are merely examples, and the number of arms and the degree of freedom of each arm are not limited as long as the suction cup 38 can be moved to a desired position.

  The holding means 37 includes a suction cup 38 provided at the tip of the third arm 36, a suction device (not shown), and an air hose (not shown) connecting the suction cup 38 and the suction device. ing. The suction cup 38 is a substantially cone-shaped member made of an elastic material such as rubber or resin. This is attached to the tip of the third arm 36 with the cone-shaped opening facing upward. The suction device is an air pump for vacuum-sucking the inside of the suction cup 38, and is provided inside the tip of the second arm 34 (or the extension arm 40). This suction device vacuum-sucks the inside of the suction cup 38 until the transported object 12 is held until a predetermined atmospheric pressure level is reached. The air hose is a hose that connects the suction device and the suction cup 38, and is inserted into the second arm 34 (or the extension arm 40) and the third arm 36. A valve (not shown) is provided between the air hose and the adsorption device, and is appropriately locked or released. The position of the suction device is not particularly limited. However, in order to shorten the length of the air hose, it is desirable that the suction device be provided as close to the suction cup 38 as possible.

  When the transport robot 14 holds the transported object 12, the robot arm 31 is driven to bring the suction cup 38 into contact with the lower surface of the transported object 12. In this state, the suction cup 38 is vacuum-sucked to a predetermined atmospheric pressure level by a suction device. As a result, the suction cup is attracted to the lower surface of the object to be conveyed 12, and the object to be conveyed 12 can be held. The holding can be released by releasing the valve provided between the suction device and the air hose and returning the suction cup 38 to the atmospheric pressure level.

  By using the holding means 37 using such an attractive force, it is possible to more easily hold objects to be transported of various materials. That is, as the holding means, there are, for example, an electromagnet type holding means for holding the object to be conveyed by the magnetic force of an electromagnet, and a grip type holding means for holding the end of the object to be conveyed with a grip. However, the electromagnet holding means has a problem that it cannot hold a conveyed object made of a nonmagnetic material such as an aluminum material. Further, in order to release the holding, even if the power supply to the electromagnet is stopped, the magnetic force remains for a while, so it is difficult to control the timing of the power supply stop. On the other hand, the holding means using the attractive force can reliably hold the conveyed object of any material. In addition, if the suction is released (the air hose valve is released), the holding of the object to be transported can be released immediately, and the suction release timing control is also easy. In particular, by providing the suction device at a position relatively close to the suction cup and shortening the distance of the air hose, it is possible to hold and release with higher responsiveness, so that timing control becomes easier.

  Of course, even with the grip-type holding means, the object to be conveyed can be reliably held regardless of the material of the object to be conveyed, and the timing control of the holding release is relatively easy. However, the grip-type holding means holds the position away from the center of gravity of the object to be conveyed because the end of the object to be conveyed is clamped. For this reason, the grip type holding means has poor holding stability. Of course, the transported object can be held stably by increasing the number of transport robots and gripping multiple ends of the transported object with grips, or by increasing the rigidity of the transport robot and the gripping force of the grips. be able to. However, this causes an increase in cost and an increase in the size of the transport system, which is not desirable. On the other hand, according to the holding means using the suction force as in the present embodiment, the object to be conveyed can be adsorbed and held near the center of gravity of the object to be conveyed, so that the object to be conveyed can be stably held. As a result, even a transfer robot with relatively small rigidity can stably hold the object to be transferred.

  That is, by providing the holding means using the adsorption force as in this embodiment, the object to be conveyed can be stably held regardless of the material of the object to be conveyed, and the control can be easily performed. . However, an electromagnet type holding means, a grip type holding means, or the like may be used depending on the material, shape, mass, etc. of the conveyed object.

  Next, the arrangement of the transfer robot 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. A plurality of transfer robots 14 are alternately arranged on the left and right of the transfer path. That is, when viewed from the top, the arrangement is zigzag (staggered). Further, only the transfer robot 14A located at the uppermost stream is a transfer robot (see FIG. 5B) provided with an extension arm. The reason why the extension arm is provided only in the uppermost transfer robot 14A in this way to widen the drive range is to hold the transferred object 12 from the processing machine 100 with certainty. That is, the intervals between the transfer robots 14 are arranged at appropriate intervals based on the driving range as described later. However, the distance between the conveyance system 10 itself and the processing machine 100 is not always appropriate. Therefore, only the transfer robot 14A located at the uppermost stream, in other words, the transfer robot 14A that receives the object 12 to be transferred from the processing machine 100 is provided with an extension arm to widen the drive range.

  The interval between the transfer robots is determined based on the drive range of the transfer robot 14. This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of the transfer robot 14. In FIG. 6, the driving range of the transfer robot 14 is indicated by a one-dot chain line. A thick solid line CL indicates the center of the conveyance path. Usually, the object to be conveyed is conveyed near the center of the conveyance path.

  It is assumed that the driving range of the transfer robot 14 is a fan shape with a radius r as shown by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 6, and the movable distance of each transfer robot 14 in the transfer direction is L. In this case, it is desirable that the distance in the conveyance width direction between each conveyance robot 14 and the conveyance path center CL is substantially the same as the driving range radius r. In other words, it is desirable that the conveyance width direction distance H with the opposite conveyance robot is approximately twice the driving range radius r (H≈2r). By making the distance in the conveyance width direction with respect to the conveyance path center CL substantially the same as the driving range radius r, each conveyance robot 14 can position its suction cup 38 in the vicinity of the conveyance path center CL. It can be attracted to the object to be transported 12 at a nearby position. In other words, the vicinity of the center of gravity of the conveyed object 12 can be held. In addition, by making the conveyance width direction distance H with the opposite transfer robot 14 approximately twice the drive range radius r, it is possible to prevent the overlap of the drive ranges and to prevent interference with the opposite transfer robot 14 arm. Further, the transport direction distance D between the transport robot 14 and the opposing robot 14 is substantially the same as the transport direction movable distance L (D≈L). In the present embodiment, the objects to be conveyed 12 are conveyed by sequentially transferring the objects to be conveyed 12 held by the respective conveyance robots 14 to the conveyance robot 14 positioned on the downstream side. Therefore, by setting the transport direction distance D to the transport robot 14 that is opposed to the transport robot 14 located immediately downstream as the transport direction movable distance L, the smallest number of transport robots 14 is the longest. Can carry distance.

  Further, as is clear from FIG. 4, each transfer robot 14 is disposed below the support base 17 described later. The article 12 is conveyed on the upper side of the support base 17. Therefore, when holding the object to be transported 12, the transport robot 14 extends the third arm 36 (see FIG. 5) to the upper side and moves the suction cup 38 to the upper side from the support base 17 to attract the object to be transported 12. . The reason why the transport robot 14 is arranged below the support base 17 is to attract and hold the lower surface of the transported object 12. Adsorption onto the lower surface of the object to be conveyed 12 is as follows. In general, some work is often performed on the object to be conveyed 12 conveyed to the most downstream side. For example, in the present embodiment, there is an operation of further moving the transported object 12 transported to the most downstream side to the mounting table 24. In this case, if the arms 32, 34, and 36 of the transfer robot 14 are on the upper side of the transferred object 12, the work on the most downstream side is obstructed. Therefore, each transfer robot 14 of the present embodiment is attracted to the lower surface of the object to be transferred 12 so that the arms 32, 34 and 36 of the transfer robot 14 do not come to the upper side of the object to be transferred 12. Thereby, the work in the most downstream becomes easy. Of course, when there is no work in the most downstream or when the work in the most downstream is performed from the lower side of the object to be conveyed 12 (below the support base 17), each of the transfer robots 14 You may make it adsorb | suck and hold | maintain on an upper surface.

  Next, the support base 17 is demonstrated using FIG. 2, FIG. The support table 17 is a table for supporting the object to be conveyed 12 and is disposed along the conveyance path. The support base 17 of this embodiment is composed of a plurality of support bars 16 extending in the transport direction. The support bar 16 is a round bar member, and stands on the arrangement plate 20 by a post (not shown). The support bars 16 are arranged adjacent to each other with a predetermined interval. In particular, at the center of the conveyance path, at least a suction cup 38 of the conveyance robot 14 is allowed to pass therethrough. This is because the suction robot 38 moves to the upper side of the support bar 16 when the transfer robot 14 holds the object 12 to be transferred above the support bar 16.

  The support bar 16 is provided at a position higher than at least the transfer robot 14 in a state where the third arm 36 is moved downward (see FIG. 4). Further, it is provided at a position lower than the output position of the conveyed object 12 of the processing machine 100. This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the object to be conveyed 12 output from the processing machine 100 is received by the conveyance system 10. The processing machine 100 in this embodiment is a cutting machine, and cuts and outputs a thin plate material into a desired shape. This cut and output member is the object 12 to be conveyed by the conveyance system 10. The shooter of the processing machine 100 sequentially feeds thin plate materials, and cuts and outputs the material that has reached a predetermined position with the upper blade 104 and the lower blade 108. The outputted transported object 12 is thin and has no rigidity, and its end portion hangs downward. The suspended object 12 is held by a transfer robot 14 positioned at the uppermost stream of the transfer path and supported by a support bar 16. Therefore, the support bar 16 needs to be provided at a position lower than the output height X of the processing machine 100 so as to be able to support the object to be transported 12 that hangs downward from the output height X of the processing machine 100.

  The transport robot 14 drives the arm to transport the transported object 12 downstream in the transport direction. The state is shown in FIG. At this time, depending on the size of the transported object 12, the end portion may hang downward. When the object to be conveyed 12 hangs down, the object to be conveyed 12 may be damaged or the driving of the conveyance robot 14 may be hindered due to contact with the conveyance robot 14 or the placement plate 20. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a support base 17 is provided to support the end portion of the object to be transported 12 that hangs down. The transfer robot 14 drives the arm to transfer the transfer object 12 with the end of the transfer object 12 supported by the support base 17. That is, the transport robot of this embodiment transports the transported object 12 while sliding a part (end) of the transported object 12 on the support base 17. Thereby, the load (mass of a to-be-conveyed object) concerning the conveyance robot 14 can be reduced, and conveyance of the to-be-conveyed object 12 can be performed more simply. Further, by providing the support base 17, it is possible to prevent the transported object 12 from drooping, and it is possible to prevent the transported object 12 from being damaged by the sagging of the transported object 12 and the driving inhibition of the transport robot 14.

  Note that the number, shape, and the like of the support rods 16 constituting the support base 17 are not particularly limited. However, depending on the contact area between the support bar 16 and the object to be conveyed 12, the load on the object to be conveyed 12 and the frictional resistance during conveyance differ. Therefore, it is desirable that the support rods 16 have a number and shape in which the load on the object to be transported 12 is in an appropriate range, in other words, a contact area is in an appropriate range. Moreover, in this embodiment, although the support base is comprised with the some rod-shaped member, you may comprise not only a rod-shaped member but a plate-shaped member etc. naturally. For example, you may comprise the support stand 17 with the two plate-shaped members arrange | positioned at predetermined intervals in the conveyance path center part, a free roll conveyor, etc. FIG. Also in that case, the material, width, and the like of the members constituting the support base 17 are determined in consideration of the load on the conveyed object 12 and the like.

  Next, the stacking robot 18 will be described with reference to FIG. The stacking robot 18 is a robot that transports the transported object 12 transported to the most downstream side of the transport path to the mounting table 24 and places and accumulates the transported object 12. The stacking robot 18 includes a robot arm 43 including a plurality of arms 46, 48, and 50, and a holding unit 51 that holds the article to be conveyed 12. The base portion 44 of the robot arm 43 can be rotated in a horizontal plane, and a first arm 46 is connected to the tip thereof. The first arm 46 can be rotated in a vertical plane, and a second arm 48 is connected to the tip of the first arm 46. The second arm 48 can also rotate in the vertical plane, and the third arm 50 is connected to the tip of the second arm 48. The third arm 50 is capable of rotating in a vertical plane and rotating in a horizontal plane, and a holding means 51 that holds the article to be conveyed 12 is connected to the tip of the third arm 50. The arms 46, 48, 50 and the base 44 are driven in accordance with an instruction from a system control unit (not shown) so that the position of the holding means 51 can be moved as appropriate. However, the robot arm 43 illustrated here is merely an example, and other types of robots may be used as long as the holding unit 51 can be appropriately moved to a desired position.

  The holding means 51 of the stacking robot 18 includes a suction cup 54, a suction device (not shown) for sucking the inside of the suction cup 54, and an air hose (not shown) for connecting the suction cup 54 and the like. ing. And when holding the to-be-conveyed object 12, in the state which contact | abutted the suction cup 54 to the upper surface of the to-be-conveyed object 12, the suction cup 54 is vacuum-sucked and the to-be-conveyed object 12 is hold | maintained. However, unlike the transfer robot 14, the holding means 51 of the stacking robot 18 includes a plurality of suction cups 54. That is, a frame 52 composed of a plurality of rod-like members 52a is attached to the tip of the third arm 50, and a plurality of suction cups 54 are attached to each rod-like member 52a with a predetermined interval. . The shape of the frame 52 and the number of suction cups 54 are not particularly limited, but the frame 52 of this embodiment is composed of three rod-shaped members 52a, and each of the rod-shaped members 52a has six suction cups 54 in total. 18 are attached. By providing the plurality of suction cups 54 in this manner, the holding force is improved, and even the object 12 having a large mass can be reliably held and transported. In addition, by providing a plurality of suction cups 54 at predetermined intervals, a plurality of objects to be conveyed 12 can be held simultaneously. And as a result, since more to-be-conveyed objects 12 can be conveyed in a short time, conveyance efficiency can be improved.

  The holding means 51 described here is also an example, and other holding means such as an electromagnet-type holding means or a grip-type holding means may be used as long as the object to be conveyed 12 can be held. In addition, it is not always necessary to hold a plurality of objects to be conveyed 12 at the same time, and a holding unit that holds only a single object to be conveyed 12 may be used.

  The stacking robot 18 is provided at the downstream end of the transport path (see FIGS. 3 and 4), and holds the article 12 transported to the downstream from the upper surface. And the to-be-conveyed object 12 is conveyed on the mounting base 24 provided in the right and left of the conveyance path, and is piled up. The transported object 12 stacked on the mounting table 24 is collected by an operator using a forklift or the like and transported to another processing machine, a storage place, or the like.

  The stacking robot 18 of the present embodiment first stacks the object to be conveyed 12 only on one of the left and right mounting tables 24. When the number of objects to be transported stacked on the mounting table 24 on one side reaches a predetermined number, the objects to be transported are stacked on the mounting table 24 on the opposite side. Therefore, the stacking robot 18 has two counters (not shown) inside, and can count the number of transported objects 12 stacked on each mounting table 24. In addition, a reset button (not shown) that is pressed by an operator when the transported object 12 is collected is provided in the vicinity of the mounting table 24. If the reset button is pressed, the stacking robot 18 is pressed. The counter inside is reset. Further, when a predetermined number of objects to be conveyed 12 are stacked on one or both of the mounting tables 24, the stacking robot 18 notifies the operator by means such as an alarm or lamp lighting. The collection of 12 is also encouraged. Thus, by providing the counter and the reset button, the quantity of the objects to be transported 12 stacked on the mounting table 24 can be managed. Of course, in place of such counter and reset button, a sensor for detecting the total weight and height of the object to be transported 12 stacked on the mounting table 24 is provided, and quantity management is performed based on the detection value of the sensor. May be. Further, in the present embodiment, the notification unit that notifies the operator that the predetermined number of stacks has been completed is provided, but may not be provided depending on circumstances. In that case, when the transported objects 12 stacked on the mounting tables 24 on both sides reach a predetermined number, the transport of the transported objects 12 is stopped.

  The mounting table 24 is a space for stacking and accumulating the objects to be transported 12, and is a base member that is lower than the placement plate 20 on which the transport robot 14 and the support base 17 are provided and is higher than the floor surface (see FIG. 4). . The reason why the height is lower than the placement plate 20 is to facilitate observation of the transport robot 14 and the like from the side surface, and the height higher than the floor surface simplifies the collection work of the transported object 12 with a forklift or the like. Because. The mounting table 24 is provided on the left and right of the transport path (see FIG. 3). This is to shorten the entire transport system 10. That is, when the mounting table 24 is provided not on the left and right sides of the transport path but on the extended line of the transport path, the entire length of the transport system 10 is increased and the installation space is increased. Of course, in that case, the width of the transport system 10 can be somewhat shortened. However, even in that case, for safety, it is desirable to prohibit installation of other devices and entry of people on the left and right sides of the transport path, and as a result, the width of the transport system 10 can be greatly reduced. Can not. That is, when the mounting table 24 is provided on the extension line of the transport path, the entire length of the transport system 10 becomes very long, but the width direction cannot be shortened so much. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the mounting table 24 is provided on the left and right sides of the conveyance path, that is, at a position where other devices cannot be installed and people cannot enter. In other words, the mounting table 24 is provided in the dead space (left and right of the transport path) to greatly shorten the overall length of the transport system.

  Next, control of the transport system 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the transfer system 10, and FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a detailed functional configuration of the transfer robot 14 and the system control device 60.

  As described above, the transport system 10 includes the transport robot 14 and the stacking robot 18, and these are controlled by the system control device 60. The system control device 60 is connected to the transfer robot 14, the stacking robot 18, and the processing machine 100, and can obtain the operation status thereof. In addition, the system control device 60 stores information related to the object to be conveyed 12 such as the mass and shape of the object to be conveyed 12 in advance. Then, the position and moving speed of the object to be transferred 12 are calculated based on the operation status of each device 14, 18, 100 and information on the object to be transferred 12, and the transfer robot 14 and the moving speed based on the obtained position and moving speed are calculated. A drive command is output to the stacking robot 18.

  Specifically, the processing machine 100 outputs the output status (output timing, speed, etc.) of the conveyed object to the system control device. Further, the transfer robot 14 outputs a driving state of the robot arm (specifically, position information and moving speed of the suction cup 38), a suction state (whether the suction state or the suction release state, etc.) and the like. Further, the stacking robot 18 also outputs the driving status and suction status of the robot arm 43 to the system control device 60. The system control device 60 calculates the position and moving speed of the transported object 12 based on the information and the information of the transported object 12 stored in advance. And based on these information, a drive command is output to each conveyance robot 14 so that the to-be-conveyed object 12 can be hold | maintained. Further, when the transported object 12 reaches the downstream of the transport path, a drive command is output to the stacking robot 18.

  The transfer robot 14 has a robot control unit 62 that receives an instruction from the system control device 60 and controls the suction device 66 and the drive motor 64 in accordance with the instruction (see FIG. 11). The system control device 60 outputs the movement target position and movement speed of the suction cup 38 to the robot control unit 62. The robot control unit 62 calculates the driving amount and driving speed of each arm 32, 34, 36 based on the movement target position and moving speed. Then, the calculated drive amount and drive speed are output to the drive motor 64 of each arm 32, 34, 36. The drive motor 64 is driven according to an instruction. Further, the drive motor 64 is provided with a sensor (not shown) such as a rotary encoder that detects the drive amount, and the detected value is output to the robot control unit 62. The robot control unit 62 calculates the current position of the suction cup 38 based on the obtained detection value and outputs it to the system control device 60. The stacking robot 18 also includes a robot control unit, a drive motor, a suction device, and the like, almost the same as the transfer robot 14, and drives the drive motor and the suction device in accordance with an instruction from the system control device 60. Further, the drive status is output to the system control device 60.

  Note that the control method exemplified here is merely an example, and other control methods may be taken as a matter of course. For example, in this embodiment, the system control device 60 controls the entire transport system 10, but the system control device 60 may be omitted, and the robots 14 and 18 may autonomously drive and control. That is, each robot outputs its own driving status to the other robots 14 and 18, and each robot 14 and 18 calculates its own driving amount based on the driving status of the other robots 14 and 18. May be. In the present embodiment, the position and moving speed of the object to be conveyed 12 are calculated based on the driving status of the other robots 14 and 18 and the processing machine 100, but naturally the object to be conveyed is based on other information. 12 positions and the like may be calculated. For example, a sensor or the like for detecting the object to be conveyed 12 may be provided on the conveyance path, and the position and moving speed of the object to be conveyed 12 may be calculated from the output value of the sensor.

  Next, the flow of transport of the transported object 12 in the transport system 10 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a diagram schematically showing the flow of conveyance of the article 12 to be conveyed. Here, each transfer robot 14 is referred to as a first transfer robot 14A, a second transfer robot 14B, a third transfer robot 14C, and a fourth transfer robot 14D in order from the upstream side.

  The transported object 12 output from the processing machine 100 is cut by the processing machine 100 and output to a position a that is within the driving range of the first transport robot 14 </ b> A located at the uppermost stream of the transported object 12. The system control device 60 outputs a drive command to the first transfer robot 14A in accordance with the output timing.

  The first transfer robot 14A drives the robot arm to the position a based on the drive command. The third arm is driven upward at the timing when the transported object 12 reaches the position a (the timing when the transported object 12 is almost directly above the suction cup 38), and the suction cup 38 is moved to the position of the transported object 12. Make contact with the bottom. At the same time, the suction device is driven to suck the inside of the suction cup 38 by vacuum. Thereby, the to-be-conveyed object 12 is hold | maintained by 14 A of 1st conveyance robots (refer FIG. 12 (A)). This holding force is obtained by adsorption to the conveyed object 12. Therefore, the transported object 12 can be reliably held regardless of the material of the transported object 12. In addition, there is no fear of causing any kind of damage to the transported object 12 during holding. Further, since the vicinity of the center of gravity of the object to be conveyed 12 is held, even the single transfer robot 14 can stably hold the object to be transferred 12.

  The first transfer robot 14A drives the robot arm while holding the transfer object 12, and transfers the transfer object 12 to the downstream side. This driving situation is output to the system control device 60. The system control device 60 calculates the timing at which the article 12 reaches the position b that is within the driving range of the second transfer robot 14B, based on the driving status of the first transfer robot 14A. And a drive command is output with respect to the 2nd conveyance robot 14B so that the timing may be met. The second transfer robot 14B drives the robot arm based on the drive command and moves the suction cup 38 to the position b. Then, the second transport robot 14B attracts and holds the suction cup 38 to the bottom surface of the transported object 12 at the timing when the transported object 12 reaches the position b. At the same time, the first transfer robot 14 </ b> A releases the suction and releases the held object 12. In the present embodiment, the holding is released by releasing the valve provided between the suction device and the air hose. In this embodiment, unlike the electromagnet holding means in which the electromagnetic force (holding force) remains even after the current supply is stopped, the holding force can be released immediately after the valve is released. Therefore, holding force release timing (valve release timing) control can be performed very easily.

  The second transfer robot 14B transfers the transfer object 12 to the downstream side at a predetermined speed (see FIG. 12B). This driving situation is also output to the system controller 60. The system control device 60 outputs a drive command to the third transfer robot 14C based on the drive status of the second transfer robot 14B. At this time, the output status of the processing machine 100 is also output to the system control device 60, and the system control device 60 is driven by the first transfer robot 14A so that the next output object 12b can be transferred. Outputs a command.

  And if the to-be-conveyed object 12 arrives at the position c which is the drive range of the 3rd conveyance robot 14C, the 3rd conveyance robot 14C will adsorb | suck to the to-be-conveyed object 12, and hold | maintain this. At the same time, the second transfer robot 14B releases the suction. Then, the third transport robot 14C transports the transported object 12 to a position d that is the driving range of the fourth transport robot 14D, and passes the transported object 12 to the fourth transport robot 14D (see FIG. 12C). . If another workpiece 12b is newly output from the processing machine 100, the first transfer robot 14A is attracted to and held on the bottom surface. Then, the object to be transferred 12 is sequentially transferred again to the second transfer robot 14B and the third transfer robot 14C.

  As is apparent from the above description, in the present embodiment, the plurality of transfer robots 14 transfer the held object 12 to the other transfer robots 14 located downstream to transfer the object 12 to be transferred. is doing. In other words, in the present embodiment, the plurality of transfer robots 14 transfer the object to be transferred 12 in a relay format. Thus, by conveying in the relay format, the object 12 can be conveyed even at a long distance.

  In more detail, the transfer robot 14 of the present embodiment is attracted slightly to the near side of the center of gravity of the object to be transferred 12. That is, the transfer robots 14 </ b> A and 14 </ b> C positioned on the right side of the transfer path hold the right side of the center of gravity of the transferred object 12, and the transfer robots 14 </ b> B and 14 </ b> D positioned on the left side of the transfer path hold the left side of the center of gravity of the transferred object 12. Therefore, when the object 12 is transferred between the two transfer robots, the two suction cups 38 are arranged in the transfer width direction (vertical direction in the drawing). The reason for maintaining such a position is as follows. For example, if the two suction cups 38 are aligned in the transport direction (the lateral direction in the drawing) when the object to be transported 12 is transferred between two transport robots, the holding position will deviate from the center of gravity while the transfer is repeated. , Can not hold stable. Further, in the case of the transported object 12 having a small length in the transport direction, there is no space that can be attracted. On the other hand, as in this embodiment, by holding the two suction cups 38 so as to be aligned in the conveyance width direction when the object to be conveyed 12 is delivered, the holding position is maintained from the vicinity of the center of gravity even if the delivery is repeated. The transported object 12 can be stably held without being detached. Further, even the transported object 12 that is relatively small, in particular, the transport direction length is short, can be reliably held.

  The system control device 60 calculates the timing at which at least one of the objects to be transported 12 reaches the most downstream side based on the driving state of each transport robot 14. Then, a drive command is output to the stacking robot 18 in time for the timing. Based on the drive command, the stacking robot 18 drives the robot arm so that the transported object 12 transported to the most downstream side can be held. Then, the suction cup 38 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the object to be transported 12, and the suction cup is vacuum-sucked in this state to hold the object to be transported 12. At this time, the transported object 12 to be held may be single or plural. The number of the objects to be conveyed 12 to be held is determined by the system control device 60 according to the size and mass of the object to be conveyed 12.

  If the stacking robot 18 holds the article 12 to be transported, the stacking robot 18 transports it to the mounting table 24. And the to-be-conveyed object 12 is piled up sequentially in a predetermined position. At this time, the stacking robot 18 sequentially stacks the objects to be transported 12 only on the mounting table 24 on either the right side or the left side of the transport path. Then, after a predetermined number of layers are stacked on the mounting table 24 on one side, they are stacked on the mounting table 24 on the opposite side. The stacking robot 18 stacks a predetermined number of the objects to be conveyed 12 on one or both of the mounting tables 24 and then notifies the operator by an alarm or the like to prompt the collection of the objects to be conveyed 12. The operator collects the transported object 12 stacked on the mounting table 24 using a forklift or the like. At that time, the reset button is pressed to notify the stacking robot 18 that the transported object 12 has been collected.

  Here, the stacking robot 18 of the present embodiment places the article 12 to be transported on the placing table 24 positioned on the left and right of the transport path. Therefore, the overall length of the transport system 10 can be shortened, and as a result, the transport system 10 can be reduced in size. Further, since the stacking robot can hold a plurality of objects to be conveyed 12 at the same time, even if the output speed of the objects to be conveyed 12 is high, the objects to be conveyed 12 are sequentially placed without delaying the conveyance. 24. That is, according to the present embodiment, the transport system 10 can be downsized, and the transported object 12 can be transported more efficiently.

  As described above, according to the transport system 10 of the present embodiment, the transported object 12 can be transported easily and efficiently while maintaining the quality regardless of the material of the transported object 12. Further, the transport system 10 can be reduced in size. In the present embodiment, the positions of the transfer robot 14 and the support base 17 are fixed, but may be movable. For example, the transfer robot 14 and the support base 17 are installed on the arrangement board 20, and the arrangement board 20 is installed on the base 22. Therefore, the arrangement plate 20 may be moved in the horizontal direction as shown in FIGS. Specifically, a placement plate driving means including a guide rail for guiding the movement of the placement plate 20 and a motor for driving the placement plate is provided, and the placement plate is moved in the horizontal direction by the drive means. Thus, by making the arrangement | positioning board 20 movable, even if the output position of the to-be-conveyed object 12 fluctuates, it can convey appropriately. In other words, it is originally desirable that the output position of the transported object 12 and the holding position of the transport robot 14A positioned at the uppermost stream be close to each other. However, depending on the state of the processing machine 100, the transfer direction distance between the output position and the holding position of the transfer robot 14A located at the uppermost stream may be large (see FIG. 13). In that case, the placement plate 20 can be moved in the transport direction to bring the output position closer to the holding position of the transport robot 14A located at the uppermost stream.

  Further, it is desirable that the output center of the transported object 12 is located substantially at the transport path center CL. However, depending on the situation of the processing machine 100, the transported object 12 may be output from a position shifted from the transport path center CL (see FIG. 14). In this case, the arrangement plate 20 is moved in the conveyance path width direction so that the conveyance path center CL is substantially the output center of the object to be conveyed 12. As described above, by allowing the arrangement plate 20 to move, even if the output position of the object to be conveyed 12 fluctuates, appropriate conveyance becomes possible.

  Further, when the output center of the transported object 12 and the transport path center CL are misaligned, the arm length of the transport robot 14 may be changed as shown in FIG. 15 without moving the arrangement plate 20. For example, when the output position of the transported object 12 is shifted to the left (upper side in FIG. 15), an extension arm (see FIG. 5B) is attached to the transport robots 14A, 14C, and 14E located on the right side of the transport path. Equally, increase the arm length. As a result, even if the object to be conveyed 12 is deviated from the conveyance path center CL, the vicinity of the center of gravity of the object to be conveyed 12 can be held by the conveyance robot 14. As a result, the transported object 12 can be transported stably.

  In this embodiment, a single transfer object 14 is held by a single transfer robot 14, but a single transfer object 12 may be held by a plurality of transfer robots 14. For example, as shown in FIG. 16, the transfer robot 14 may be disposed at the right and left positions on the transfer path, and the single transfer object 12 may be held by the two transfer robots 14 facing each other. That is, first, the transported object 12 is held and transported by the two transport robots 14A and 14B positioned at the most upstream, and then the transported object 12 is held and transported by the two transport robots 14C and 14D positioned. At this time, it is desirable that the two transport robots 14 that simultaneously hold the transported object 12 are attracted and held near the end of the transported object 12. Further, it is desirable that the support bar 16 constituting the support base 17 is provided only at the transport path center CL. In this way, by holding the single object 12 by the plurality of transfer robots 14, even the object 12 having a large mass or area can be transferred.

  In the present embodiment, a single suction cup 38 is provided for a single transfer robot 14, but a plurality of suction cups 38 may be provided for a single transfer robot 14 as shown in FIG. . Thus, by providing the plurality of suction cups 38, the holding force can be improved, and even the conveyed object 12 having a large mass or area can be held. However, in this case, it is necessary to give the robot arm 31 enough rigidity and torque to be able to transport the object 12 having a large mass and area.

  In the present embodiment, a thin plate-like workpiece having a two-dimensional shape is assumed as the object to be conveyed 12, but naturally, a workpiece having a three-dimensional shape (for example, a press die) is used as the object to be conveyed 12. Also good. However, in that case, the bottom surface and the top surface of the conveyed object 12 are not flat. Therefore, in that case, as shown in FIG. 18, it is desirable that the height and width of the support bar 16 constituting the support base 17 can be changed. FIG. 18 is a schematic front view of the transport system. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 18, each support rod 16 supported by the support column 72 is provided with a moving means 74 in the vertical direction and a moving means 76 in the horizontal direction. The height of the support bars 16 and the width between the support bars can be changed. Thus, by providing the support means 16 with the moving means 74 and 76, the to-be-conveyed object 12 with a non-flat bottom face can also be supported.

It is a perspective view of the conveyance system which is embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of a conveyance system. It is a top view of a conveyance system. It is a side view of a conveyance system. (A) is a perspective view of a transfer robot, and (B) is a perspective view of another transfer robot. It is a figure explaining the arrangement position of a conveyance robot. It is a figure which shows the state which outputs a to-be-conveyed object to a conveyance system. It is a side view which shows the state which conveys a to-be-conveyed object. It is a perspective view of a stacking robot. It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of a conveyance system. It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of a conveyance robot. It is a schematic diagram which shows the flow of conveyance of a to-be-conveyed object. It is a schematic top view of the conveyance system which is other embodiment. It is a schematic top view of the conveyance system which is other embodiment. It is a schematic top view of the conveyance system which is other embodiment. It is a schematic top view of the conveyance system which is other embodiment. It is a perspective view of the conveyance robot in the conveyance system which is other embodiment. It is a schematic front view of the conveyance system which is other embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Conveyance system, 12 Conveyed object, 14 Conveyance robot, 16 Support rod, 17 Support base, 18 Stacking robot, 20 Placement board, 22 Base, 24 Mounting base, 31, 43 Robot arm, 37, 51 Holding means, 38, 54 Suction cup, 52 frame, 60 system control device, 62 robot control unit, 64 drive motor, 66 suction device, 74, 76 moving means, 100 processing machine.

Claims (11)

A transport system for transporting an object to be transported,
A plurality of transfer robots are provided in the transfer direction, each of which includes a holding unit that holds the transferred object , and an arm that can drive the transferred object in the horizontal plane together with the holding unit.
Control means for controlling each transfer robot so as to sequentially pass the held object to be transferred to another transfer robot located downstream in the transfer direction ;
A support base provided along the transport path to support the transported object;
Have
The holding part of the transfer robot holds the transferred object from the lower surface by attracting to the lower surface of the transferred object,
The transfer robot transfers the held transfer object while sliding it on the support table, and passes the transfer object to another transfer robot located downstream in the transfer direction.
A conveyance system characterized by that. The transport system according to claim 1 ,
The plurality of transfer robots are arranged in a staggered pattern alternately arranged on the left and right of the transfer path,
The transfer robot located on the right side of the transfer path holds the right side of the center of gravity of the transferred object,
The transfer robot located on the left side of the transfer path holds the left side of the center of gravity of the object to be transferred.
A conveyance system characterized by that. A conveying system according to claim 1 or 2, further
A transport system comprising a stacking device for stacking objects to be transported to a predetermined transport position by a plurality of transport robots on the left and right of a transport path. It is a conveyance system of Claim 3 , Comprising:
The stacking apparatus is a robot arm including a holding unit that holds an object to be transported and an arm that can be driven in a direction intersecting the transport path. It is a conveyance system of Claim 4 , Comprising:
A holding system of the stacking device holds the transferred object by adsorbing to the transferred object. It is a conveyance system of Claim 4 or 5 ,
A transport system, wherein the holding unit of the stacking apparatus can hold a plurality of objects to be transported. The transfer system according to any one of claims 4 to 6 ,
The holding unit of the stacking apparatus holds the object to be transferred from the upper surface. The transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 7 ,
The support system includes a plurality of rod-shaped members extending in the transport direction and arranged at intervals in the transport path width direction. It is a conveyance system of Claim 8 , Comprising:
Each bar-like member has a position adjusting means for adjusting the position thereof, and a conveying system characterized in that The transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , further comprising:
The transfer system includes a position adjusting unit that adjusts the positions of a plurality of transfer robots. A conveying system according to claim 1 0,
The position adjusting means adjusts the position of the plurality of transfer robots by moving a plate-like member on which the plurality of transfer robots are installed in the horizontal direction.

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