JP5777101B2 - Front end module assembly method and transport cart - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for assembling a front end module to a pair of front side members provided on a vehicle body, and a transport carriage used therefor.

  In the assembling process of the front part of the automobile, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, a radiator support unit M1 and a bumper reinforcement M2 are assembled to the tips of a pair of front side members S, S protruding forward from the vehicle body B (FIG. 8). Thereafter, the engine E is assembled to the pair of front side members S, S (see FIG. 8B). In this case, as shown in FIG. 9, the worker G needs to perform the assembly work of the engine E while standing on the front side (right side of FIG. 9) of the radiator support unit M1 and the bumper reinforcement M2. G needs to work in a posture with a large burden by bending the waist, and a sufficient space where the worker G can stand is required on the front side of the radiator support unit M1 and the like.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, recently, an engine is mounted on a pair of front side members S, S (see FIG. 10A), and then a radiator support is attached to the tip of the pair of front side members S, S. A front end module M obtained by modularizing the unit M1 or the like may be assembled (see FIG. 10B). In this case, since the front ends of the front side members S, S have an open structure until the front end module M is assembled, the worker G enters between the front side members S, S as shown in FIG. The assembly work of the engine E can be performed. For this reason, the burden of waist bending of the worker G is reduced, and the work space to be secured in front of the vehicle body for the assembly work can be reduced.

  However, since the front side members S, S having an open structure as shown in FIG. 10 (a) are in a state where the tips are not positioned, it is difficult to align the front side member S and the front end module M. Assembling becomes difficult.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of mounting a positioning jig on a front side member when a front end module is assembled to a pair of front side members.

JP 2003-2266 A

  However, it is not easy to mount a jig on a large part such as a front side member, and it takes a lot of man-hours to mount the jig. In particular, when the engine is mounted on a front side member having an open structure before the front end module is assembled, the front side member is greatly bent, so that it is difficult to mount a jig.

  An object of the present invention is to facilitate the assembly of a front end module to a front side member having an open structure.

  The present invention made to achieve the above object is a method for assembling a front end module at the front ends of a pair of front side members provided on a vehicle body, and assembling an engine to a pair of front side members having an open structure. A process, a step of mounting the front end module on the transport carriage and transporting it to the assembly position for the pair of front side members, and a clamp device provided on the transport carriage to clamp the pair of front side members from the outside in the vehicle width direction By correcting the distance between the pair of front side members in the vehicle width direction, positioning the front end module at the assembly position with respect to the pair of front side members, and attaching the front end module to the front ends of the pair of front side members. Assembling process and It is carried out through the order.

  The present inventors have found from experience that when the engine is mounted on a front side member having an open structure, the pair of front side members are always bent in a direction in which the interval in the vehicle width direction is increased. Accordingly, a clamp device is provided on the transport carriage that transports the front end module, and the pair of front side members are clamped from the outside in the vehicle width direction by the clamp device, so that a pair of front side members can be mounted without attaching a jig. The front side member can be corrected to a predetermined interval in the vehicle width direction, and the front end module can be positioned at an assembly position with respect to the pair of front side members.

  Further, in the above assembling method, the carriage main body of the carriage equipped with the front end module is mounted on the clamping device in a state where the pair of front side members are clamped from the outside in the vehicle width direction by the clamping device of the carriage. By sliding in the width direction, the position in the vehicle width direction between the pair of front side members and the front end module can be finely adjusted while maintaining the pair of side members at a predetermined interval in the vehicle width direction.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the front side member having an open structure can be set to a predetermined dimension in the vehicle width direction without attaching a jig. Can be assembled easily.

It is a front view of a conveyance trolley. It is a side view of the said conveyance trolley. It is a top view of the holding means of the said conveyance trolley. It is a top view of the clamp apparatus of the said conveyance trolley. (A)-(e) is a top view which shows the assembly | attaching method of the front end module which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the clamp apparatus of the conveyance trolley concerning other embodiments. It is a top view which shows the modification of the clamp apparatus of FIG. (A) And (b) is a top view which shows the assembly | attaching method of the conventional front end module. It is a side view which shows a mode that an operator performs the engine assembly | attachment process of FIG.8 (b). (A) And (b) is a top view which shows the assembly | attaching method of the conventional front end module. It is a side view which shows a mode that an operator performs the engine assembly | attachment process of Fig.10 (a).

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  A transport carriage 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is mounted with a front end module M (hereinafter referred to as “module M”) for transport. The module M according to the present embodiment is provided in a substantially U-shaped radiator support unit M1 (hereinafter referred to as “radio support unit M1”) that opens downward, and an intermediate portion in the height direction of the radio support unit M1. , A bumper reinforcement M2 extending in the vehicle width direction, a fender M3 assembled over the lower part of the radiator support unit M1, and a radiator (not shown) attached to the radiator support unit M1 are modularized. . The transport carriage 1 includes a carriage body 10 on which the module M is mounted, a holding means 20 that holds the module M on the carriage body 10, and a pair of front side members S and S (hereinafter, “side members S and S”). And a clamping device 30 for clamping from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

  The cart body 10 includes a mounting portion 11 on which the module M is mounted, a plurality of leg portions 12 provided below the mounting portion 11, and a plurality of rollers 13 attached to the lower portion of the leg portion 12. . The plurality of legs 12 can be changed in length, and height adjusting means 14 is provided in one of them. By the height adjusting means 14, the length of the plurality of leg portions 12 and the height of the mounting portion 11 can be adjusted.

  The holding unit 20 holds the module M placed on the mounting unit 11. In the present embodiment, the holding unit 20 restrains the module M in the vehicle width direction with respect to the transport carriage and prevents the module M from tilting in the front-rear direction. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the holding means 20 includes a pair of holding portions 21 and 21 and a slide mechanism 22 that slides the pair of holding portions 21 and 21 in the vehicle width direction. The parts 21 and 21 are configured to hold the upper part of the radio support unit M1 of the module M from both sides in the vehicle width direction.

  The holding portion 21 has a U-shape in plan view and has a recess that opens to the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and the upper portion of the radiator support unit M1 is fitted into the recess. The slide mechanism 22 is a mechanism that moves the pair of holding portions 21 and 21 closer to and away from each other in the vehicle width direction, and a pair of slide portions 23 and 23 and a link mechanism that slides the pair of slide portions 23 and 23 in the vehicle width direction. 24. The holding portion 21 is attached to the slide portion 23 via the support portion 25. The slide portion 23 is slidable in the vehicle width direction along the guide rail 15 provided in the cart body 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the link mechanism 24 includes a rotating shaft 24a, a main link 24b that can rotate around the rotating shaft 24a, and a sub link that connects both ends of the main link 24b and a pair of slide portions 23 and 23. 24c and 24d. By operating the handle 26 provided on the main link 24b and rotating the main link 24b around the rotation shaft 24a, the pair of holding portions 21 and 21 are always arranged at positions symmetrical with respect to the rotation shaft 24a in the vehicle width direction. However, it can approach and leave in the vehicle width direction.

  The clamp apparatus 30 clamps a pair of side members S and S from the vehicle width direction outer side. As shown in FIG. 4, the clamp device 30 of the present embodiment includes a pair of clamp arms 31 and 31 and a slide mechanism 32 that slides the pair of clamp arms 31 and 31 in the vehicle width direction.

  The clamp arm 31 includes an abutting portion 31a that abuts the side member S from the outside in the vehicle width direction, and an arm portion 31b that extends from the abutting portion 31a. The contact part 31a is made of a material softer than the work so as not to damage the work (side member S), and is made of, for example, resin. The arm portion 31b is formed of, for example, metal, and is provided so as to connect the contact portion 31a and the slide mechanism 32 provided in front of the vehicle main body 10 (lower side in FIG. 4). Specifically, the arm portion 31b includes a first arm 31b1 extending outward from the contact portion 31a in the vehicle width direction, a second arm 31b2 extending forward from the vehicle width direction outer end of the first arm 31b1, and a second arm. The third arm 31b3 extending inward in the vehicle width direction from the front end of 31b2, the fourth arm 31b4 extending forward from the inner end in the vehicle width direction of the third arm 31b3, and the vehicle width from the front end of the fourth arm 341b4 And a fifth arm 31b5 extending inward in the direction. The clamp arm 31 does not have a joint on the way and is integrated.

  The slide mechanism 32 has a vehicle width from a pair of slide portions 33 and 33 slidable in the vehicle width direction along the guide rail 16 provided in the carriage body 10 and a fifth arm 31b5 of the pair of clamp arms 31 and 31, respectively. A pair of screw rods 34, 34 extending inward in the direction and a cylindrical portion 35 screwed to the pair of screw rods 34, 34 are provided. The clamp arm 31 is fixed to the slide portion 33. In the illustrated example, the front end portion of the second arm 31b2 of the arm portion 31b is fixed to the slide portion 33. The pair of screw rods 34, 34 are formed with oppositely threaded grooves and screwed with a common threaded groove formed on the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion 35. The cylindrical portion 35 is provided with a handle 36 that protrudes to the outer diameter. By rotating the cylindrical portion 35 using this handle, the pair of clamp arms 31, 31 are connected to the vehicle width via the pair of screw rods 34, 34. Approach or leave the direction. The clamp device 30 can move freely in the vehicle width direction with respect to the vehicle body 10 and can be integrated in the vehicle width direction without changing the vehicle width direction interval between the contact portions 31a, 31a of the pair of clamp arms 31, 31. It is possible to slide.

  Hereinafter, a method for assembling the module M according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is performed using the above-described transport carriage 1, will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, the engine E is assembled to a pair of side members S, S (see FIG. 5A) protruding forward from the vehicle body B (see FIG. 5B). In this manner, by mounting the engine E on the pair of side members S, S having an open structure without connecting the front ends, an operator can enter between the pair of side members S, S. Therefore, the burden of the work for mounting the engine E is reduced and the work space for the worker to stand can be reduced (see FIG. 11). At this time, by mounting the engine E, the distance between the ends of the pair of side members S and S in the vehicle width direction is slightly widened (exaggerated in FIG. 5B).

  Next, the module M is mounted on the vehicle body 10 of the transport carriage 1 (see FIG. 5C). Specifically, in a state in which the distance in the vehicle width direction of the pair of holding portions 21 and 21 of the holding means 20 (not shown in FIG. 5) provided in the transport carriage 1 is larger than the dimension in the vehicle width direction of the module M in advance. The module M is placed on the mounting portion 11 of the vehicle body 10. Thereafter, the handle 25 of the holding means 20 is rotated to slide the pair of holding parts 21, 21 in the approaching direction, and the upper part of the radio support unit M 1 is fitted into the recesses of the pair of holding parts 21, 21. Is held in the vehicle width direction and the front-rear direction (see FIG. 3).

  Next, the transport carriage 1 on which the module M is mounted is transported to the assembly position for the pair of side members S, S (see FIG. 5D). In the illustrated example, the radio support unit M1 is disposed between the pair of side members S, S in the vehicle width direction, and the bumper reinforcement M2 is disposed in front of the pair of side members S, S (lower side in FIG. 5). Is done.

  Then, a pair of side members S spread by mounting the engine E by clamping the pair of side members S, S from the outside in the vehicle width direction by the clamp arms 31, 31 of the clamp device 30 provided in the transport carriage 1. , S is corrected to an appropriate value in the vehicle width direction (see FIG. 5D). In the present embodiment, front and rear bolt holes (not shown) provided at the ends of the pair of side members S, S and front and rear bolt holes (not shown) provided at both ends of the bumper reinforcement M2 in the vehicle width direction. The clamping device 30 is tightened until the positions of are matched. Thereby, the vehicle width direction pitch of the bolt holes of the pair of side members S, S and the vehicle width direction pitch of the bolt holes of the bumper reinforcement M2 are matched. At the same time, the transport carriage 1 is positioned with respect to the pair of side members S, S, whereby the module M is positioned at the assembly position with respect to the pair of side members S, S.

  Further, since the clamp device 30 can freely slide in the vehicle width direction with respect to the vehicle main body 10, the vehicle main body on which the module M is mounted while the pair of side members S and S are clamped by the clamp device 30. The position of the module M in the vehicle width direction can be finely adjusted by moving 10 in the vehicle width direction. Thereby, alignment of the bolt hole of the side member S and the bolt hole of the bumper reinforcement M2 in the vehicle width direction can be performed. Further, the height alignment between the bolt hole of the side member S and the bolt hole of the bumper reinforcement M2 is performed by lifting the module M by hand or by adjusting the height adjusting means 14 of the transport carriage 1. It can be performed.

  In this state, the bumper reinforcement M2 and the pair of side members S, S are fixed with bolts through both bolt holes. As a result, the module M is temporarily fixed to the pair of side members S and S, and the distance between the pair of side members S and S in the vehicle width direction is fixed. After that, the radiator support unit M1 is fixed to the side surfaces of the pair of side members S, S on the outer side in the vehicle width direction with bolts through bolt holes (not shown) of both, so that the pair of side members S, The assembly to S is completed (see FIG. 5E).

  Thereafter, the pair of holding portions 21 and 21 of the holding means 20 are slid outward in the vehicle width direction to release the holding of the module M, and the pair of clamp arms 31 and 31 of the clamp device 30 are slid outward in the vehicle width direction. Then, the clamp of the pair of side members S, S is released. And the conveyance trolley 1 is isolate | separated from the module M assembled | attached to the vehicle body, and the conveyance trolley 1 is carried out from an assembly | attachment work area.

  As described above, by transporting the module M using the transport carriage 1, it is possible to facilitate transport of the module M whose weight is increased by modularizing a plurality of members. In addition, by clamping the pair of side members S, S from the outside in the vehicle width direction with the clamping device, the pair of side members S, S can be corrected to a predetermined interval in the vehicle width direction. Assembly to the side members S, S is facilitated.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where both the pair of clamp arms 31 and 31 are movable is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, one clamp arm 31 is fixed to the cart body 10 and the other clamp arm 31 is clamped. Only the arm 31 may be movable with respect to the cart body 10.

  Moreover, although the case where the clamp arms 31 and 31 of the clamp apparatus 30 are translated in a vehicle width direction was shown in said embodiment, it is not restricted to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, one clamp arm 37 of the clamp device 30 may be fixed to the cart body 10 and the other clamp arm 38 may be rotatable with respect to the cart body 10 around a fulcrum 38 a. In this case, a pair of side members S, S are arranged between the clamp arms 37, 38, and the other clamp arm 38 is rotated (see the arrow in the figure). The side members S, S can be clamped from the outside in the vehicle width direction. As shown in FIG. 7, the distance L1 from the fulcrum 38a to the base end 38b (force point) of the other clamp arm 38 is set to be longer than the length L2 from the fulcrum 38 to the contact portion 38c (action point). Thus, the force required for clamping can be reduced. Note that both the clamp arms 37 and 38 may be rotated.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the holding portions 21 and 21 of the holding means 20 are moved in parallel in the vehicle width direction has been shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and similarly to the example shown in FIGS. It is good also as a structure which rotates both the holding parts 21 and 21 with respect to the trolley | bogie main body 10 (illustration omitted). Alternatively, the holding unit 20 may be omitted, and the module M may be leaned against the cart body 10.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the module M is configured by the radiator support unit M1, the bumper reinforcement M2, the fender M3, and the radiator is shown, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and a pair of side members S, S Any of the above-described configurations may be omitted, or members other than the above-described configurations may be added as long as a member that connects the two is included.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Carriage trolley | bogie 10 trolley | bogie main body 11 Mounting part 20 Holding means 30 Clamping device 31 Clamp arm 32 Slide mechanism B Car body E Engine M Front end module M1 Radiator support unit M2 Bumper reinforcement M3 Fender S Front side member

Claims (3)

A method for assembling a front end module at the tip of a pair of front side members provided on a vehicle body,
A process of assembling the engine to a pair of front side members having an open structure, a process of mounting the front end module on the transport carriage and transporting it to an assembly position with respect to the pair of front side members, and a clamp device provided on the transport carriage. A step of clamping the pair of front side members from the outside in the vehicle width direction to correct the distance between the pair of front side members in the vehicle width direction and positioning the front end module at an assembly position with respect to the pair of front side members; A method for assembling the front end module, which is performed by sequentially performing the steps of assembling the front end module at the tips of the pair of front side members.   The trolley body of the transport trolley equipped with a front end module is slidable in the vehicle width direction with respect to the clamp device in a state where the pair of front side members are clamped from the vehicle width direction outside by the clamp device. The assembly method of the front end module of 1. A transport carriage for transporting and assembling a front end module to a pair of front side members provided on a vehicle body,
A transport cart including a cart body on which a front end module is mounted and a clamp device that clamps a pair of front side members from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

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