JP5831721B2 - Slat conveyor - Google Patents

Description

  In the present invention, a large number of slat plates connected endlessly are circulated and moved through an endless path formed by an upper conveyance path section, a lower return path section, and both end U-turn path sections connecting the upper and lower path sections. It is related with the slat conveyor comprised as follows.

  The slat conveyor as described above, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, the slat plate that moves from one of the upper transport path and the lower return path to the other rotates around the U-turn path at both ends. Thus, it is configured to flip upside down. In such a slat conveyor, when a transported object such as an automobile body is transported, if the transported object is placed directly on a slat plate, the transported object is supported by a fork when the transported object is unloaded. Therefore, the transferred object support tool is attached on the slat plate, and the transferred object is supported on the transferred object support tool.

JP 2003-192115 A

  However, the object support that protrudes from the slat plate greatly increases the radius of rotation of the slat plate side including the object support at both ends of the U-turn path, and the entire length of the slat conveyor is the upper transfer path. The total floor area for installation will be larger. In addition, since the object support tool protrudes downward from the slat plate in the lower return path, the necessary space height is increased in the lower return path, and if the slat conveyor is installed on the floor surface, the upper transfer Since the height above the floor of the path is extremely high, it is necessary to dig a pit below the floor to reduce the height above the floor of this upper transfer path, which greatly increases the installation cost. Become.

The present invention proposes a slat conveyor capable of solving the conventional problems as described above, and the slat conveyor according to the present invention is intended to make it easier to understand the relationship with embodiments described later. When the reference numerals used in the description of the embodiment are shown in parentheses, the upper transport path part (1), the lower return path part (2) and the upper and lower path parts (1, 2) are connected. across U-turn path section an endless path constituted by (3,4), a number of slats plate connected to an endless (5) is a slat conveyor which is configured to circularly moved, the endless that Drive chains (8, 9) that rotate along the endless path and guide means (12) for regulating the slat plate posture are provided on the left and right outer sides of the path, and each slat plate (5) The drive chain (8, 9) and a pair of left and right slat plate posture regulating guide means ( 12) and the drive chain (8, 9) located in the middle of the movement direction of the left and right sides of the drive chain (8, 9) is arranged so that the seesaw can be freely moved by the support shafts (15) concentric with each other. Guide rollers (16, 17) that engage with the pair of left and right slat plate posture regulating guide means (12) are pivotally supported on the left and right sides of each slat plate (5), The slat plate posture regulating guide means (12) is a main guide rail portion (18) for regulating each slat plate (5) moving along the upper transport path (1) and the lower return path (2) to an upright posture. ) And a turn guide rail portion (19) for translating each slat plate (5) that moves the U-turn path portions (3,4) at both ends in an upright posture, A pair of left and right drive teeth (28) engaged from below on a portion of the drive chain (8, 9) along the upper transport path (1). A driving means (13) provided with a motor (29) for rotationally driving the driving tooth ring (28) is provided, and an object to be conveyed (automobile body W ′) conveyed in the upper conveying path portion (1). ) On the slat plates (5a, 5b) corresponding to the two front and rear positions, a pair of left and right transport object supports (33a to 33d) for supporting the transport object in a standing posture are parallel to the front and rear transport direction. The lower return path (2) is pivotally supported around the support shaft (35) and is switched to the lying posture on the surface of the slat plate (5a, 5b) moving in an upright posture. The transported object support tool (33a to 33d) is configured to be supported, and the axial center height of the pair of left and right drive gear wheels (28) of the drive means (13) is defined as a lower return path portion ( 2) is positioned above the moving path of the object support (33a to 33d) in the lying posture on the moving slat plate (5a, 5b), and the pair of left and right driving tooth rings (28) are Switched to posture In addition, the motor (29) is connected in an interlocking manner by a transmission shaft (36) that traverses the space between the moving path of the transported object support (33a to 33d) and the upper transport path section (1). Thus, the pair of left and right driving tooth rings (28) are driven .

  According to the above configuration of the present invention, at the end of the upper transport path portion, the transported object support tool that has been in the standing posture is turned around the support shaft and laid down on the slat plate, thereby supporting the transported object. The maximum diameter of the rotation trajectory of the entire slat plate including the transported object support tool when the slat plate provided with the tool rotates on the U-turn path part is only for the slat plate not provided with the transported object support tool. Compared to the maximum diameter of the rotation trajectory, only the thickness of the fallen object support is increased. That is, when the U-turn path is rotated while the object support tool is in an upright position, or around the support shaft parallel to the lateral width direction of the slat plate perpendicular to the front-rear conveyance direction. Compared with the case where the slat plate is turned to the lying posture, the maximum diameter of the rotation trajectory of the entire slat plate including the transported object support when the slat plate rotates the U-turn path is greatly reduced. I can do it. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the overall length of the entire slat conveyor from being significantly longer than the overall length of the upper conveyance path portion that contributes to conveyance, and to reduce the occupied floor area during installation.

  When the present invention is carried out, it is desirable that the pair of left and right transported object supports be pivotally supported only between the standing posture and the lying posture that has fallen inwardly approaching each other. According to this configuration, the width of the supported object to be supported is large, and the supported object support is pivotally supported at a position relatively close to the left and right sides of the slat plate, or the supported height of the conveyed object. Even when a high-height transport object support tool in a standing position must be used, the transport object support tool lying on the slat plate must be moved outward from the left and right sides of the slat plate. It is configured so as not to protrude, and the width can be reduced to the same width as that of a slat conveyor having no object support.

  In addition, it is possible to use locking means for locking the object support in the standing position, but the lower end of the object support in the standing position is placed on the surface of the slat plate so that the standing position is maintained by gravity. It is desirable that the support shaft is positioned so as to be separated from the lying down side with respect to the object support tool in the standing posture. According to this configuration, the locking means for locking the object support tool in the standing posture, the unlocking operation of the locking means, and the like are unnecessary.

Furthermore, according to the configuration of the present invention described above, compared with the case of a general slat conveyor in which the slat plate is turned upside down in the lower return path portion, the transported object support is lower in the lower return path portion. In order to prevent the transported object support tool from hanging down due to gravity when moving, the locking means for locking the transported object support tool in the lying down posture, the unlocking operation of this locking means, and the like become unnecessary. Of course, since the object support that moves the lower return path portion is placed between the slat plate that moves the upper transfer path portion and the slat plate that moves the lower return path portion, It is no longer necessary to secure a moving space for the object support on the lower side, and the height of the slat conveyor can be kept low.

FIG. 1A is a partially cutaway schematic side view of the entire slat conveyor before applying the present invention, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged schematic side view showing both end portions of the slat conveyor. FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of the entire slat conveyor. FIG. 3 is a partially cut longitudinal front view of the slat conveyor. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. FIG. 5 is a partially cut longitudinal front view at the position of the driving tooth ring of the slat conveyor. 6 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. FIG. 7A is a side view showing a slat plate posture regulating guide means and one slat plate at one end of the slat conveyor, and FIG. 7B is a partially longitudinal side view showing a drive chain and its drive at one end of the slat conveyor. It is. FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway plan view showing one side of one end of the slat conveyor. FIG. 9 is a schematic side view showing a modification of both ends of the slat conveyor. FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing a main part of a slat conveyor showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a plan view of FIG. 12 is a longitudinal front view of FIG.

  An example of a slat conveyor to which the present invention can be applied will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. This slat conveyor is composed of an upper conveyance path portion 1 and a lower return path portion 2 that are parallel to each other and horizontally. A number of adjacent slat plates 5 rotate along an endless path composed of U-turn path sections 3 and 4, and on the upper end of the upper transport path section 1, An entrance-side fixed floor plate 6 that forms an entry road surface for the vehicle W, which is the object to be conveyed, to enter by self-propelling is installed on the terminal portion of the upper conveyance path unit 1 from above the upper conveyance path unit 1. An exit side fixed floor board 7 is provided to form an exit road surface for the automobile W to exit by self-propelling. The entry-side fixed floor plate 6 is inclined in a downward slope on the upper conveyance path portion 1 side, and the exit-side fixed floor plate 7 is inclined in an upward gradient on the front half portion on the upper conveyance path portion 1 side.

  On the left and right sides of the endless path composed of the upper transport path section 1, the lower return path section 2, and the U-turn path sections 3 and 4 at both ends, the slat plates 5 are connected to each other along the endless path. Drive chains 8 and 9 are symmetrically stretched between the guide tooth wheels 10a and 10b and 11a and 11b that are coaxially supported on the left and right sides of the U-turn path portions 3 and 4 at both ends. Yes. On both the left and right sides of the endless path, there are two sets of drives for driving the slat plate posture regulating guide means 12 for always keeping the posture of the slat plate 5 in a horizontal upright posture, and the drive chains 8 and 9. Means 13 and 14 are arranged.

  Each slat plate 5 has a rectangular shape that is elongated in the width direction of the endless path and has an inverted trapezoidal shape in which the side surface is widened, and is formed at both inverted trapezoidal ends of the endless path in the width direction. Are attached with a support shaft 15 for connecting to the drive chains 8 and 9 and a pair of front and rear guide rollers 16 and 17. The pair of left and right connecting support shafts 15 are concentrically protruded from each other at an intermediate height in the thickness direction at the center position in the moving direction length of the inverted trapezoidal end portion of the slat plate 5, and a pair of front and rear guide rollers 16, 17 is symmetrical with respect to the connecting support shaft 15 at the same height as the connecting support shaft 15 at both front and rear positions of the length of the inverted trapezoidal end of the slat plate 5 in the moving direction. Guide rollers 16, 16 and 17, 17 that form a pair on the left and right sides are pivotally supported so as to be located concentrically with each other. Thus, each slat plate 5 is connected to the pair of left and right drive chains 8 and 9 by the connection support shafts 15 at both ends at equal intervals, and the connection support shaft 15 is connected between the pair of left and right drive chains 8 and 9. The guide rollers 16 and 17 are supported by a fulcrum so as to freely move on a seesaw, and are configured to be positioned between both ends of the slat plate 5 and the drive chains 8 and 9 outside thereof in a plan view. It should be noted that the connecting support shaft 15 of each slat plate 5 can also be used as the chain link connecting support shaft of the drive chains 8 and 9.

  The slat plate posture regulating guide means 12 includes a main guide rail portion 18 that regulates each slat plate 5 that moves on the upper transport path portion 1 and the lower return path portion 2 to an upright posture, and both U-turn path portions 3, 4 includes a turn guide rail portion 19 that translates each slat plate 5 that rotates 4 in an upright posture. The main guide rail portion 18 supports each slat plate 5 movably horizontally through a pair of front and rear guide rollers 16 and 17 of each slat plate 5 that moves on the upper transport path portion 1 and the lower return path portion 2. The guide rail part 19 for a turn is outside (both up and down) with respect to the center of the U-turn path parts 3 and 4 at both ends (the axis of each guide tooth ring 10a to 11b). The guide roller rotating on the side opposite to the side where the path portions 1 and 2 are located, that is, the guide roller 16 in the U-turn path portion 3 on the start end side and the guide roller 17 in the U-turn path portion 4 on the end side is inside and outside. It comprises a pair of inner and outer semicircular arc-shaped curved rail members 19a and 19b disposed so as to be sandwiched from both sides.

  Of the pair of inner and outer curved rail members 19a and 19b, the outer curved rail member 19b is disposed along the lower return path portion 2 of the linear horizontal rail members 18a and 18b constituting the main guide rail portion 18. It can be connected to both ends of the straight horizontal rail member 18b. Of course, of the inner and outer curved rail members 19a and 19b of the turn guide rail portion 19 at both ends, the inner curved rail member 19a and the linear horizontal rail members 18a and 18b constituting the main guide rail portion 18, Of the pair of front and rear guide rollers 16, 17 of the slat plate 5, the guide rail portion 19 for turn is not guided between both ends of the linear horizontal rail member 18 a disposed along the upper conveyance path portion 1. Necessary space for the guide roller on the side and the connecting support shaft 15 to pass through is secured.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the left and right sides of the endless path have a pair of left and right along the upper and lower path sections at an intermediate height between the upper transport path section 1 and the lower return path section 2. The horizontal frame 20 is constructed, and an upper straight horizontal rail member 18 a constituting the main guide rail portion 18 of the slat plate posture regulating guide means 12 is laid on the horizontal frame 20. The horizontal frame 20 is supported at a plurality of positions in the length direction by the installation boards 22 via the support frames 21, and the lower straight horizontal lines constituting the main guide rail portion 18 are formed on the installation boards 22. Rail member 18b is laid. A cover plate 23 of the drive chains 8 and 9 is mounted on the support frame 21, and the inner side of the cover plate 23 rolls and moves on the upper linear horizontal rail member 18a. The guide rollers 16 and 17 are prevented from being lifted, and the lower inner side of the horizontal frame 20 is rolled on the lower linear horizontal rail member 18b. Is preventing. Further, the pair of left and right horizontal frames 20 are connected by a connecting frame 24 that horizontally crosses between the upper transport path portion 1 and the lower return path portion 2 at positions at appropriate intervals in the length direction of the horizontal frame 20. They are connected and integrated with each other. The guide gear wheels 10a to 11b that hang the drive chains 8 and 9 are pivotally supported through bearings installed on the installation board 22 located near the guide gear wheels.

  The curved rail members 19a and 19b constituting the turn guide rail portion 19 of the slat plate posture regulating guide means 12 are arranged outside the curved rail members 19a and 19b as shown by phantom lines in FIG. 7A and FIG. It can be attached to a dedicated support frame 25 installed on the floor. Further, on the horizontal frame 20, a chain guide rail 26 for supporting and guiding the upper straight path portion that moves along the upper transport path portion 1 of the drive chains 8 and 9 is laid, and on each installation board 22, A chain guide rail 27 that supports and guides the lower straight path portion that moves along the lower return path portion 2 of the drive chains 8 and 9 is laid, but the upper and lower straight path portions of the drive chains 8 and 9 are The slat plates 5 connected to the drive chains 8 and 9 at regular intervals via the connecting support shaft 15 are connected to the main guide rails of the slat plate posture regulating guide means 12 via the guide rollers 16 and 17. The chain guide rails 26 and 27 can be omitted because they are supported by the linear horizontal rail members 18a and 18b of the portion 18 so as to be horizontally movable.

  The two sets of drive means 13 and 14 have the same structure, and the drive means 13 is a pair of left and right drive units 13a and 13a disposed near the terminal end of the upper transport path section 1 near the U-turn path section 3. The drive means 14 is composed of a pair of left and right drive units 14a and 14b disposed in the vicinity of the terminal end of the lower return path section 2 near the U-turn path section 4. The drive means 13 will be specifically described. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the drive unit 14 a includes a drive tooth ring 28 that engages with a portion along the upper conveyance path portion 1 of the drive chain 8 from below. The motor 29 with a speed reducer that rotationally drives the driving tooth ring 28 and the chain lifting prevention guide rail 30 that prevents the driving chain 8 from escaping upward from the driving tooth ring 28. The chain lift prevention guide rail 30 is attached to the lower side of the cover plate 23 covering the drive chain 8 and is provided on the lower surface of the central portion that overlaps the engagement area between the drive tooth ring 28 and the drive chain 8. The roller 8a loosely fitted to the link coupling shaft of the drive chain 8 is in sliding contact with both the teeth of the rotating drive tooth ring 28 and the lower side surface of the chain lift prevention guide rail 30 that is fixed. A notch recess 30a is formed for prevention. Of course, instead of providing the notch recess 30a, the chain lifting prevention guide rail 30 may be composed of two front and rear rail members attached to be spaced apart in the front and rear by a region corresponding to the notch recess 30a. . Further, the chain guide rail 26 that supports and guides the drive chain 8 is also divided into front and rear parts so as to avoid the area where the chain lifting prevention guide rail 30 is disposed.

  The drive unit 13b for driving the drive chain 9 on the opposite side has the same structure as the drive unit 13a arranged symmetrically, so that the corresponding parts shown in FIG. Description is omitted. Similarly to the drive units 13a and 13b, the pair of left and right drive units 14a and 14b of the drive means 14 for driving the drive chains 8 and 9 in the lower return path section 2 is also connected to the drive tooth ring 31 and the drive unit. A motor 32 with a speed reducer for rotating the tooth ring 31 is provided, and the driving tooth ring 31 is arranged so as to engage with the drive chains 8 and 9 of the lower return path portion 2 from above. Has been established. Accordingly, in the drive units 14a and 14b, the existing chain guide rail 27 prevents the drive chains 8 and 9 from escaping downward from the drive tooth ring 31. Rollers 8a and 9a loosely fitted on the link coupling shafts of the drive chains 8 and 9 are provided on the upper side surface of the portion overlapping the engagement region between the wheels 31 and the drive chains 8 and 9. A notch recess is formed to prevent sliding contact with both upper surfaces of the guide rail 27, or the chain guide rail 27 is divided forward and backward.

  According to the slat conveyor of the above configuration, the motors 29 and 32 with speed reducers in the drive units 13a to 14b of the drive means 13 and 14 are operated, and the drive tooth wheels 28 and 31 are moved at the same speed in a predetermined direction. By rotating and rotating the pair of left and right drive chains 8 and 9 in the normal direction, the left and right ends of each slat plate 5 are connected to the drive chains 8 and 9 via concentric connection support shafts 15. Rotates forward along the endless path, and each slat plate 5 continuously moves toward the U-turn path section 4 in the upper transport path section 1. Thus, each slat plate 5 moving in the upper transport path portion 1 and the lower return path portion 2 has a pair of front and rear guide rollers 16 and 17 at its left and right ends, and the main guide of the slat plate posture regulating guide means 12. By rolling on the upper and lower linear horizontal rail members 18a and 18b in the rail portion 18, the rail portion 18 moves while maintaining a horizontal upright posture. Each slat plate 5 that rotates the U-turn path portions 3, 4 at both ends has a guide roller 16 or 17 that rotates outside the U-turn path portions 3, 4, so that the guide means 12 for regulating the slat plate posture. By moving between the curved rail members 19a and 19b in the turn guide rail portion 19, the slat plate 5 is substantially prevented from swinging up and down around the connecting support shaft 15 and is in a horizontal upright posture. Keep parallel to move.

  Accordingly, in the upper transport path portion 1, the horizontal transport moves continuously from the entrance side fixed floor plate 6 side toward the exit side fixed floor plate 7 side by the continuously moving slat plates 5 over the entire length of the upper transport path portion 1. Since the surface is formed, the slat plate that moves by moving the automobile W, which is the object to be conveyed, onto the horizontal conveyance surface of the upper conveyance path portion 1 by self-propelled via the entry side fixed floor plate 6. The vehicle W supported on the vehicle 5 can be conveyed toward the exit-side fixed floor plate 7 at a constant speed, and an operator can stand on the horizontal conveyance surface formed by the slat plates 5 around the vehicle W. Thus, the required work for the automobile W can be executed. If the vehicle W that has undergone the required work reaches near the end of the upper conveyance path section 1, the vehicle W travels from the horizontal conveyance surface of the upper conveyance path section 1 on the exit side fixed floor board 7 by self-propelling. You can leave it.

  If the object to be transported is not a self-propelled automobile W, the object to be transported is transferred onto the horizontal transport surface near the starting end of the upper transport path section 1 using appropriate transfer means, and the necessary work is performed. If the transported object that has been finished reaches near the end of the upper transport path unit 1, the transported object is transported from the horizontal transport surface of the upper transport path unit 1 using appropriate transfer means. good. In this case, the entrance-side fixed floor plate 6 and the exit-side fixed floor plate 7 are not used for taking in and out the object to be transported, but the start end portion of the upper transport path portion 1 covered with the entrance-side fixed floor plate 6 and the exit-side fixed floor plate 7. Region and terminal region, that is, a region where all the guide rollers 16 and 17 of the slat plate 5 are not completely supported by the upper linear horizontal rail member 18a in the main guide rail portion 18 of the slat plate posture regulating guide means 12. Except for the area that can be used for the conveyance of the upper conveyance path unit 1, the transfer work of the object to be conveyed must be performed.

  In the structure shown in the figure, each of the driving means 13 and 14 is provided with two motors 29 and 32 with speed reducers for separately driving the pair of left and right driving tooth wheels 28 and 31. When the tooth rings 28 and 31 are arranged concentrically with each other, a pair of left and right driving tooth rings is provided by a transmission shaft that passes through and traverses the horizontal frame 20 between the upper conveyance path portion 1 and the lower return path portion 2. By interlockingly connecting 28 and 31 to each other, the pair of left and right driving tooth wheels 28 and 31 of each driving means 13 and 14 can be interlocked and driven by one motor 29 and 32 with a speed reducer. Furthermore, when the upper transport path section 1 is short, when the transport load is small, or when it is possible to increase the driving force of the motor with a speed reducer, any one of the driving means 13 and 14 is used. It is possible to eliminate one. On the other hand, when the entire length of the upper conveyance path 1 is long, when the conveyance load is large, or when it is desired to reduce the driving force of each of the motors with a reduction gear, the upper conveyance path 1 and the lower return path The driving means 13 and 14 can be arranged at a plurality of locations in the path length direction 2.

  Further, when the entrance-side fixed floor plate 6 and the exit-side fixed floor plate 7 are provided side by side as described above, as shown in FIG. 9, the start end region and the end end region of the upper transport path portion 1, specifically as described above. In addition, a region in which all the guide rollers 16 and 17 of the slat plate 5 are not completely supported by the upper linear horizontal rail member 18a in the main guide rail portion 18 of the slat plate posture regulating guide means 12 is provided at the U-turn path at both ends. By inclining so as to be lowered toward the portions 3 and 4, the entrance-side fixed floor plate 6 and the exit-side fixed floor plate 7 can be installed substantially horizontally above these regions.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention applied to the above-described slat conveyor for transporting, for example, the automobile body W ′ that is not directly placed on the slat plate 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. Then, the conveyed object support means 33 is provided on the specific slat plate 5 that supports the automobile body W ′. The transported object support means 33 includes four transportable object support tools 33a to 33d that support the vehicle body W ′ at four locations around the vehicle body W ′. The object support tools 33a and 33b and the object support tools 33c and 33d are a pair of left and right bearing members protruding on the surfaces of the two load supporting slat plates 5a and 5b that are located at a required interval in the transport direction. 34 is supported by a support shaft 35 parallel to the front-rear transport direction so as to be able to rise and fall only between the standing posture and the lying posture supported by the surfaces of the slat plates 5a and 5b. It is pivotally supported. In addition, each support object 33a-33d has the support shaft 35 located away from the inside and is in contact with the surface of the slat plate 5 when in the standing position so that the standing position can be maintained by gravity. Although configured as described above, a separate locking unit may be provided to lock each of the transported object support members 33a to 33d in the standing posture.

  In the slat conveyor provided with the undulating transportable object supports 33a to 33d, the load supporting slat plates 5a and 5b including the transported object supporters 33a to 33d are connected to the U-turn path from the lower return path portion 2. When entering the upper conveyance path section 1 via the section 3, it is switched from the lying posture to the standing posture by manual work or mechanical means, and the four objects to be conveyed (the vehicle body W ′) are in the standing posture. It can be transported on the upper transport path section 1 by being placed on the support tools 33a to 33d by an appropriate transfer means. And after carrying out a to-be-conveyed object (automobile body W ') in front of the terminal end of the upper conveyance path | route part 1 with a suitable transfer means, each to-be-conveyed object support tool 33a-33d of a standing posture is carried out by a manual work or a mechanical means. Switch to the lying posture. Thus, the load supporting slat plates 5a and 5b provided with the respective transported object support tools 33a to 33d in the lying posture do not turn upside down and remain in the upright posture from the U-turn path portion 4 to the lower return path portion. 2, the load supporting slat plates 5 a and 5 b that horizontally support the transported object support tools 33 a to 33 d in the lying posture on the upper side of the lower return path portion 2 together with the other slat plates 5. become. Accordingly, the transported object supports 33a to 33d are simply secured between the upper transport path unit 1 and the lower return path unit 2 so that the transported object support tools 33a to 33d can move. The locking means for locking in the lying posture can be omitted.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the drive means 13 of the upper conveyance path section 1 side moves the axis height of the pair of the driving tooth wheels 28, a path section 2 returns the lower load The pair of left and right driving tooth rings 28 are placed in a lying posture on the lower return path portion 2 by being positioned above the moving path of the transported object supports 33a to 33d in the lying posture on the supporting slat plates 5a and 5b. Are coupled to each other by a transmission shaft 36 that traverses the space between the movement path of the transported object supports 33a to 33d and the upper transport path section 1, and is provided by one motor 29 with a speed reducer provided in one drive unit 13a. The driving tooth ring 28 of both the drive units 13a and 13b is configured to be driven. The driving means 14 on the lower return path portion 2 side is such that the axial center height of the driving tooth ring 31 is in a lying posture on the load supporting slat plates 5a, 5b moving on the lower return path portion 2. Since it cannot be positioned above the movement path of the conveyed product supports 33a to 33d, the pair of left and right driving tooth rings 31 are driven separately by the two motors 32 with a reduction gear as in the previous embodiment. Alternatively, the transmission shaft that is transversely supported at the same height as the transmission shaft 36 and the driving tooth ring 31 of both drive units 14a and 14b are linked and connected by an appropriate transmission means such as a chain or a gear. Thus, the drive tooth ring 31 of both drive units 14a and 14b may be driven by a single motor 32 with a reduction gear provided in one drive unit 14a or 14b.

  In the slat conveyor of the present invention, the length of each slat plate 5 in the conveying direction is not particularly limited. That is, the number of the slat plates 5 in the transport direction within the region occupied by one object to be supported and transported is not particularly limited. For example, it is possible to increase the length of each slat plate 5 in the conveyance direction and to support one object to be conveyed on one slat plate 5.

  The slat conveyor of the present invention can be used in an automobile assembly line that requires a continuous work floor surface that moves integrally with the automobile (or the vehicle body) around the automobile (or the vehicle body) that is conveyed along a fixed linear conveyance path.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Upper conveyance path | route part 2 Lower return path | route part 3, 4 U-turn path | route part 5 Slat board 5a, 5b Slat board for load support 6 Entrance side fixed floor board 7 Exit side fixed floor board 8, 9 Drive chain 10a-11b Guide tooth ring 12 Guide means for regulating the slat plate posture 13, 14 Driving means 15 Connecting support shafts 16, 17 Guide rollers 18 Main guide rail portions 18a, 18b Linear horizontal rail members 19 Turn guide rail portions 19a, 19b Curved rail members 26, 27 Chain guide rails 28, 31 Driving gear wheels 29, 32 Motor with speed reducer 30 Chain lifting prevention guide rail 30a Notch recess 33 Conveyed object support means 33a-33d Conveyable object support tool which can be raised and lowered 35 Support shaft 36 Transmission shaft

Claims (3)

Configured the endless path is composed of both ends the U-turn path portion connecting the path portion back upper conveyance path section and the lower and the upper and lower path section, a number of slats plate connected to an endless circulating movement A drive chain that rotates along the endless path and slat plate posture regulating guide means are provided on the left and right outer sides of the endless path, and each slat plate has a pair of left and right slat plates. The drive chain and the pair of left and right slat plate posture regulation guide means are disposed between the left and right sides of the drive chain in the direction of movement by the support shafts concentric with each other. A pair of left and right sides of each slat plate is supported by guide rollers that engage with the pair of left and right slat plate posture regulating guide means. The guide means for regulating the slat plate posture includes a main guide rail portion that regulates each slat plate that moves on the upper conveyance path portion and the lower return path portion to an upright posture, and each slat plate that moves on both U-turn path portions. A pair of left and right drives engaged from below on the portion along the upper transport path of the pair of left and right drive chains. Drive means provided with a tooth ring and a motor for rotationally driving the drive tooth ring, on a slat plate corresponding to two places before and after the object to be conveyed conveyed in the upper conveyance path part, A pair of left and right transported object supporting tools that support the transported object in a standing posture are pivotably supported around a support shaft parallel to the front-rear transport direction, and the lower return path portion has an upright posture. Move On the surface of the slat plate, the transported object support tool switched to the lying posture is supported, and the axial center height of the pair of left and right driving tooth rings of the driving means is the lower return path. The transporting path of the transported object support tool in which the pair of left and right driving tooth rings are switched to the lying down position, positioned above the travel path of the transported object support tool in the lying posture on the slat plate that moves the section. A slat conveyor configured to be interlocked and connected by a transmission shaft that crosses a space between the upper conveyance path portion and the left and right driving tooth rings by the one motor .   2. The slat conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the pair of left and right transported object supports are pivotally supported only in an upright position between a standing posture and a lying posture lying inwardly approaching each other.   The pair of left and right transported object supports is held in the standing position by gravity so that the lower end of the supported object support tool in the standing position is in contact with the surface of the slat plate, and the support shaft is in the standing position. The slat conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the slat conveyor is located away from the lodging side with respect to the object support.

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