JP4699733B2 - Work transfer device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a workpiece transfer apparatus .

  Conventionally, as a means for supplying various parts to an automatic assembly machine, generally, a part feeder is used to align the workpieces, and the P & P (pick & place) unit supplies them one by one, or a transfer device is used to align the workpieces. Means such as supply are taken. Here, the means for aligning and supplying the workpiece using the parts feeder is expensive, and the productivity is low because parts are supplied one by one, and it takes a lot of time to cope with the change in the shape of the workpiece There was a problem that it cost money. On the other hand, the transfer device is a device that oscillates and swings a removable plate with a plurality of transfer holes and aligns the parts. By exchanging the plate, it can handle various workpieces, and the price is lower than that of the parts feeder. Since it is inexpensive, it is currently widely used.

  However, it is difficult for the transfer device to reliably transfer the workpiece into the transfer hole of the plate depending on the shape of the workpiece. Will occur. In order to solve the problem, some methods have been proposed, such as a device for reliably transferring the workpiece to the plate side or a means for discharging the workpiece caught in the transfer hole (for example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2).

FIG. 7 is a view showing a conventional workpiece transfer apparatus. A plate 72 in which a plurality of transfer holes 71 for transferring a workpiece to a predetermined position are formed; a swinging means 73 for swinging the plate 72 on which a plurality of workpieces are placed and swinging the workpiece into the transfer hole 71; Brush-like workpiece removing means 74 having elastic flocking that sweeps out a workpiece that has not been properly transferred into the hole 71 is provided. After the work is transferred into the transfer hole 71, the excess work is removed by inclining the plate 72, the inclination of the plate 72 is returned, and the work removal means 74 is moved on the plate while rotating to remove the work. A workpiece that could not be removed at the time (for example, a workpiece caught in the transfer hole 71) is swept from the plate.
JP 7-315332 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-2644

  In a conventional transfer device, a workpiece that is caught in the transfer hole and not transferred correctly cannot be transferred correctly into the transfer hole as a new workpiece unless it is removed by the shaking or vibration of the plate during the transfer operation. There was no transfer efficiency. Further, since the conventional transfer device performs the removal work after the transfer work is completed, it takes time for the removal work.

The present invention solves the above-described drawbacks, and an object of the present invention is to provide a workpiece transfer device capable of efficiently aligning workpieces .

A workpiece transfer device for transferring and aligning a plurality of workpieces into a plurality of transfer holes formed at predetermined positions,
At least, the transfer holes in order to transfer align the workpiece in a predetermined position is formed, a plate compressed air ejection port provided around the transfer holes,
A table for mounting and fixing the plate;
Flowing the compressed air in the gap of the plate and the table, and compressed air inlet means for ejecting compressed air from the compressed air injection port provided in the plate,
Vibrating means and swinging means for swinging the workpiece supplied onto the plate into the transfer hole;
It is set as the workpiece transfer apparatus which comprises.

The compressed air injection port, in addition to the periphery of the transfer hole, the workpiece transfer apparatus is also provided on the end side of the plate.

Wherein during transfer operation of the workpiece, in a state where the plate is tilted, the workpiece transfer apparatus Ru is ejected compressed air from provided on the end side of the plate the compressed air injection opening.

Wherein during transfer operation of the workpiece, when said plate is in a horizontal state, and the workpiece transfer device from the compressed air ejection port provided around Ru is ejected compressed air in the transfer holes.

According to the workpiece transfer device of the present invention, the workpiece is supplied onto the plate, and the plate is vibrated and oscillated by the oscillation means and the oscillation means, thereby aligning the workpiece in the transfer hole on the plate and the plate. By providing a compressed air jet port in the compressed air jet port and ejecting compressed air from the compressed air jet port, it becomes possible to discharge a workpiece that has not been properly transferred into the transfer hole. In addition, it is possible to prepare a new workpiece transfer by arranging the workpiece in a correct posture by the compressed air ejected from the compressed air ejection port. Therefore, the transfer rate can be improved.

  At least a plurality of transfer holes for transferring and aligning workpieces at predetermined positions, a plate having compressed air jets at a plurality of locations, a table on which the plate is mounted and fixed, and a gap between the plate and the table Compressed air inflow means for injecting compressed air into the plate and ejecting compressed air from a compressed air outlet provided in the plate, vibration means for injecting a plurality of workpieces supplied on the plate into the transfer hole, and The swinging means constitutes a workpiece transfer device.

  The compressed air outlet is provided in the vicinity of the transfer hole formed in the plate, and the compressed air is injected from the compressed air outlet to discharge the remaining work without being correctly transferred to the transfer hole. Further, the compressed air jet port is also provided on the end side of the plate, and the compressed air is ejected from the compressed air jet port so that the front and back surfaces are reversed in the work collected on the plate end side. Arrange the workpiece in the correct orientation.

  1A and 1B are views showing a transfer apparatus according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a plan view and FIG. 1B is a front view (partially a sectional view). FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a square-shaped workpiece. FIG. 3 is a plan view and a front sectional view of a transfer hole arranged on the plate, in which the protrusion side of the workpiece is aligned on the upper side. The square-shaped workpiece 9 has a width W = 4 mm, a length L = 8 mm, a thickness T = 0.2 mm, a protrusion outer diameter φ2.8 mm, and a protrusion amount 0.3 mm. The workpiece transfer apparatus according to the present embodiment is an apparatus that aligns the square-shaped workpiece 9 (hereinafter, workpiece 9) shown in FIG.

  Reference numeral 1 denotes a plate. A plurality of transfer holes 4 for aligning the work 9 on the plate 1 and a work transfer auxiliary guide groove for controlling the posture in the length direction of the work 9 as an aid for aligning the work 9 with the transfer hole 4. 5. Only when the workpiece 9 is not properly transferred into the transfer hole 4, the compressed air jet 6 is disposed at a position where it hits the workpiece 9 (three locations for one transfer hole 4 in this configuration). The transfer hole 4 is provided in the work transfer auxiliary guide groove 5. Further, near the both ends of the plate 1, there are provided a plurality of compressed air jets 7 for reversing the work 9 upside down. The plate 1 is mounted on the table 8 with a gap a, and is structured to vibrate and swing by the vibration means 2 and the swing means 3. Since the plate 1 is configured to be removable, it can be exchanged according to the workpiece to be aligned. Further, the table 8 is provided with compressed air inflow means (not shown) from the lower surface or side surface thereof toward the gap portion a, and the compressed air inflow means is connected to a compressor (not shown) installed outside. Yes. The compressed air is sent from the compressed air inflow means into the gap a, and the compressed air is ejected from the compressed air outlets 6 and 7 of the plate 1 mounted on the table 8.

  The compressed air inflow means is configured to be able to control the inflow amount of compressed air. For example, a stronger force is required for the purpose of controlling according to the input amount of the work or turning the work 9 upside down. Therefore, control that increases the inflow amount only in this case becomes possible.

  Next, the process of aligning the workpieces 9 with the workpiece transfer apparatus of the present invention will be described. First, a plurality of workpieces 9 are supplied onto the plate 1 mounted on the table 8. When the workpiece 9 is supplied to the plate, a workpiece transfer process for vibrating and swinging the table 8 by the vibrating means 2 and the swinging means 3 is started. The workpiece 9 may be supplied to the plate 1 after the table 8 is vibrated and swung. When the table 8 (plate 1) vibrates and swings, the workpiece 9 supplied on the plate 1 moves while vibrating on the plate 1 and is dropped into the workpiece transfer auxiliary guide groove 5 to support the workpiece transfer. Slide in the guide groove 5. In the moving process, it is aligned with the transfer hole 4. Further, the compressed air is periodically ejected from the compressed air ejection ports 6 and 7 while the table 8 continues to vibrate and swing.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example (Example 1 and Example 2) in which the workpiece 9 is not properly transferred into the transfer hole 4, and FIG. 5 is an example in which the workpiece 9 that has not been correctly transferred into the transfer hole 4 shown in FIG. 4 is a view showing a place where the air is discharged, and an arrow in the figure indicates the movement of the compressed air. As shown in FIG. 4, when the surplus workpiece 9 is not properly transferred into the transfer hole 4, even if the plate 1 vibrates and swings, the projection of the workpiece 9 is caught in the transfer hole 4, and the transfer hole The workpiece 9 may not come off from 4. At this time, the surplus workpiece 9 is in a state of being positioned on one of the compressed air ejection ports 6 provided at three locations on the plate 1. However, by regularly ejecting the compressed air from the compressed air outlet 6, one end of the surplus workpiece 9 that has not been properly transferred as shown in FIG. 5 is lifted and discharged from the transfer hole 4. By discharging the workpiece 9 that has not been correctly transferred, a new workpiece 9 can be transferred and the transfer rate can be improved. It should be noted that it is effective to perform the compressed air ejection timing when the plate 1 is in an inclined state during the vibration or swing operation.

  FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the compressed air outlet 7 that changes the orientation of the front and back surfaces of the work 9. The arrows in the figure indicate the movement of compressed air. Most of the workpieces 9 that remain without being aligned with the transfer holes 4 remain in an inverted state. These workpieces 9 are rarely reversed by merely vibrating and swinging the plate 1. Therefore, the number of operations to be aligned with the transfer hole 4 by the same surface of the work 9 is increased, and the transfer rate is lowered when transferring the work 9 with a distinction between the front and back sides. Therefore, a compressed air outlet 7 for reversing the work 9 is provided on the end side of the plate 1, and the work 9 is collected on the end side of the plate 1 in the process of swinging operation. 7, by blowing out compressed air, the work 9 is blown off, and when falling, the work 9 is reversed with a substantially constant probability and arranged in the correct orientation. As a result, the transfer rate can be improved. The timing of jetting compressed air from the compressed air jet port 7 is most effective when the plate 1 is in a horizontal state during vibration and swinging operations.

  In the workpiece transfer apparatus of the present invention, a workpiece 9 is supplied onto the plate 1 and the plate 1 is vibrated and oscillated by the vibrating means 2 and the oscillating means 3, whereby the workpiece is placed in the transfer hole 4 on the plate 1. 9 are arranged, and at this time, the work 9 that has not been properly fed can be discharged by periodically ejecting the compressed air from the compressed air jet 6 so that a new work 9 can be transferred. I have to. Moreover, the workpiece | work of the state in which the front and back were reversed by the compressed air jet nozzle 7 can be arranged in the correct direction. These operations are repeated during the workpiece transfer process, ensuring alignment in a predetermined alignment position relationship and improving transfer efficiency. Further, since the apparatus is not stopped, the working time can be greatly shortened.

It is a figure which shows the transfer apparatus by this invention, (A) is a top view, (B) is a side view. The figure which shows a square-shaped workpiece. The top view and front view of the transfer hole arrange | positioned on the plate. The figure which shows the example in which the workpiece | work was not correctly transferred to the transfer hole. The figure which showed the place where the workpiece | work which was not correctly transferred to a transfer hole is discharged | emitted from a transfer hole. The figure which shows the compressed air jet nozzle vicinity which changes direction of the front and back of a workpiece | work. The figure which shows the conventional workpiece transfer apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Plate 2 Oscillating means 3 Oscillating means 4 Transfer hole 5 Work transfer auxiliary guide groove 6 Compressed air outlet 7 Compressed air outlet 8 Table 9 Work 71 Transfer hole 72 Plate 73 Oscillating means 74 Work removing means

Claims (4)

A workpiece transfer device for transferring and aligning a plurality of workpieces into a plurality of transfer holes formed at predetermined positions,
At least, the transfer holes in order to transfer align the workpiece in a predetermined position is formed, a plate compressed air ejection port provided around the transfer holes,
A table for mounting and fixing the plate;
Flowing the compressed air in the gap of the plate and the table, and compressed air inlet means for ejecting compressed air from the compressed air injection port provided in the plate,
Vibrating means and swinging means for swinging the workpiece supplied onto the plate into the transfer hole;
A workpiece transfer apparatus comprising: The compressed air injection port, wherein in addition to the periphery of the transfer holes, the workpiece transfer apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that also provided on the end side of the plate. 3. The workpiece transfer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein during the transfer operation of the workpiece, when the plate is in a horizontal state, the compressed air is ejected from the compressed air ejection port provided on the end side of the plate. . 4. The compressed air is ejected from the compressed air ejection port provided around the transfer hole when the plate is inclined during the workpiece transfer operation. 5. The workpiece transfer device described in 1.

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