JP5888105B2 - Work line for goods - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a work line for articles.

  In an article work line, for example, a vehicle assembly line, parts are assembled to a vehicle body while the vehicle body as an article is conveyed at low speed. Since there are many processes for working on the vehicle body, the assembly line is extremely long. The vehicle body is appropriately switched between a low-speed conveyance state in which work is performed and a high-speed conveyance state for movement without any work being performed.

  In order to prevent workers from entering the work line during high-speed transfer accidentally, the work line in the high-speed transfer process is surrounded by a protective fence, and intruders entering the high-speed transfer process are blocked. An intruder detection sensor to detect is provided, and when the intruder is detected by the intruder detection sensor, the transport device is immediately stopped. Patent Document 1 discloses that an intrusion prevention opening / closing door is closed when an intruder with respect to a monitoring area of a work line is detected by an intruder detection sensor.

  Transition from high-speed conveyance to low-speed conveyance is performed in the low-speed transfer area, and articles that have entered the low-speed transfer area at a high speed are decelerated in the low-speed transfer area and transferred to low-speed transfer. Become. In addition, the transition from the low-speed transfer to the high-speed transfer is performed in the high-speed transfer area, and after entering the high-speed transfer area at a low speed, the article is accelerated in the high-speed transfer area and transferred to the high-speed transfer. It will be. In the vehicle assembly line, the switching between the high speed conveyance and the low speed conveyance described above exists in a plurality of places. Each of the transition areas is not used as a work area because it may be conveyed at high speed.

JP 2011-42438 A

  When a work line becomes extremely long like a vehicle assembly line, it is strongly required to shorten the length as much as possible. There is also a request to add a new work process to an existing work line. In this case, it is preferable to add a work process without increasing the total length of the work line.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances as described above, and its purpose is to provide a work line for articles in which a new work process can be added without shortening the work line or lengthening the work line. There is to do.

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, basically, a low-speed transition area or a high-speed transition area that has not been conventionally used as a work area can be effectively used as a work area. Specifically, in the present invention, the following first solution is adopted. That is, as described in claim 1,
In the work line of the article where work is performed on the article while conveying the article at high speed after conveying the article at high speed,
An intruder detection sensor for detecting an intruder into a low-speed transition area where an article is shifted from high-speed conveyance to low-speed conveyance is provided,
When an article is being conveyed at high speed in the low-speed transition area, the conveying device is stopped by detection of an intruder by the intruder detection sensor,
When the article is being conveyed at low speed in the low-speed transition area, even if an intruder is detected by the intruder detection sensor, the low-speed conveyance is continued without stopping the conveying device.
It is like that.

  According to the above solution, after the article has shifted to the low-speed transfer in the low-speed transfer area, the low-speed transfer is continued without stopping the transfer device even if an operator enters. As a result, a high-speed transition area that has not been used as a work area in the past can be used as a work area, and a new work process can be performed without shortening the overall length of the work line or increasing the overall length of the existing work line. Can be added. During the high-speed conveyance of the article in the low-speed transition area, the conveyance is stopped when an intruder is detected, so that there is no safety problem.

Preferred embodiments based on the above solution are as described in claims 2 to 5 in the claims. That is,
The intruder detection sensor detects an intruder along the floor surface of the low-speed transition area, and a curtain that detects the intruder in a curtain shape along the vertical direction at both the left and right sides of the low-speed transition area. And a sensor (corresponding to claim 2). In this case, intruder detection can be performed reliably. In particular, it is possible to reliably detect a case where an operator who stands by (near) the low-speed transition area inadvertently enters a limb or the like into the low-speed transition area.

  The floor surface sensor and the curtain sensor are each a laser sensor that irradiates a laser beam and detects an intruder by its reflection, and has an effect corresponding to claim 2 with a simple configuration using a laser sensor. Can be obtained.

  The article is a vehicle body, and the work line is a vehicle assembly line for assembling parts to the vehicle body (corresponding to claim 4). In this case, in particular, it is possible to flexibly cope with a case where it is necessary to add a work area by shortening the assembly line of the vehicle in which the work line becomes long or changing the vehicle type.

After carrying out the low-speed conveyance in which the work on the article is performed, the high-speed conveyance is performed,
A second intruder detection sensor for detecting an intruder into a high-speed transition area where the article is transferred from low-speed conveyance to high-speed conveyance;
When the article is being conveyed at high speed in the high-speed transition area, the conveyance device is stopped by the detection of the intruder by the second intruder detection sensor,
When the article is being conveyed at low speed in the high-speed transition area, even if an intruder is detected by the second intruder detection sensor, the low-speed conveyance is continued without stopping the conveying device.
(Corresponding to claim 5). In this case, the high-speed transition area can also be effectively used as a work area, and the effect corresponding to claim 1 can be further enhanced.

In order to achieve the above object, the following second solution is adopted in the present invention. That is, as described in claim 6,
In the work line of the article in which high speed conveyance is performed after the work is performed on the article while conveying the article at low speed by the conveyance device,
A second intruder detection sensor for detecting an intruder into a high-speed transition area where the article is transferred from low-speed conveyance to high-speed conveyance;
When the article is being conveyed at high speed in the high-speed transition area, the conveyance device is stopped by the detection of the intruder by the second intruder detection sensor,
When the article is being conveyed at low speed in the high-speed transition area, even if an intruder is detected by the second intruder detection sensor, the low-speed conveyance is continued without stopping the conveying device.
It is like that.

  According to the above solution, while the article is being conveyed at low speed in the high-speed transition area, even if an operator enters, the conveyance apparatus is continued without being stopped. As a result, a high-speed transition area that has not been used as a work area in the past can be used as a work area, and a new work process can be performed without shortening the overall length of the work line or increasing the overall length of the existing work line. Can be added. Then, after the article moves to the high-speed transport in the high-speed transition area, the transport is stopped by the detection of the intruder, so that there is no safety problem.

  According to the present invention, while ensuring safety of work, the transition area is effectively used as a work area to shorten the overall length of the work line or add a new work process without lengthening the work line. can do.

The side view which shows an example of the assembly line of the vehicle to which this invention was applied. The simplified top view of FIG. The top view which shows the detail of a low-speed transfer area. The figure which shows the example of a display of the work instruction | indication in a low-speed transfer area. The flowchart which shows the example of control for performing work instructions as shown in FIG. The flowchart which shows the example of control of the conveying apparatus according to a conveyance speed and intrusion detection.

  FIG. 1 shows an assembly line L of a vehicle as an article work line. In FIG. 1, V1 to V5 are vehicle bodies as articles, and when there is no need to distinguish between the vehicle bodies, they are indicated by a symbol V.

  A transport device H provided in the assembly line L includes a travel rail (guide rail) 1 and a hanger 2. The traveling rail 1 is divided into a plurality of parts in the longitudinal direction, and FIG. 1 shows a first rail 1A, a second rail 1B, and a third rail 1C that are divided into three. The most upstream first rail 1A is installed at a low position, the most downstream third rail 1C is set at a high position, and the intermediate second rail 1B is displaced in the vertical direction by a lifter 3. Has been. In FIG. 1, only the support 3a of the lifter 3 is shown in a simplified manner, and the details of the drive mechanism that drives the traveling rail 1B up and down are not shown because they are known.

  The hanger 2 is suspended from the traveling rail 1 and automatically travels while supporting the vehicle body V. That is, the hanger 2 includes a drive wheel 21 that can travel on the travel rail 1 and a motor 22 that drives the drive wheel 21. By driving the drive wheels by the motor 22, the hanger 2 can be moved from the right side to the left side in FIG. Each hanger 2 is appropriately subjected to high speed travel (high speed transport), low speed travel (low speed transport), and stop according to a travel instruction command.

  The hanger 2 on the first traveling rail 1A is moved to the second traveling rail 1B with the second rail 1B at a low position and the height matched to the first rail 1A. The hanger 2 on the second traveling rail 1B is moved to the third traveling rail 1C in a state where the second traveling rail 1B at the lower position is set to the higher position and the height is matched with the third rail 1C. FIG. 1 shows a state where the second traveling rail 1B is at a high position and is movable from the second traveling rail 1B to the third traveling rail 1C.

  The hanger 2 has a high speed when traveling on the second traveling rail 1B, when traveling from the first traveling rail 1A to the second traveling rail 1B, and when traveling from the second traveling rail 1B to the third rail 1C. It is moved (high speed conveyance). That is, in FIG. 1, the area where the hanger 2 (the hanger 2 on which the vehicle body V4 is mounted) located immediately upstream of the lifter 3 is the high-speed transition area E1 in which the low-speed conveyance is shifted to the high-speed conveyance. In addition, an area where the hanger 2 (the hanger 2 equipped with the vehicle body V2) immediately downstream of the lifter 3 exists is a low-speed transition area E2 in which the high-speed conveyance is shifted to the low-speed conveyance. Conventionally, each of the transition areas E1 and E22 is a non-work area in which no parts are assembled to the vehicle body V.

  In the low-speed transition area E2, the hanger 2 on which the vehicle body V is mounted is high-speed transported when starting to enter the low-speed transition area E2, and then gradually decelerated so as to be low-speed transport. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the rear end of the vehicle body V2 in the low speed transition area E2 is in the vicinity immediately after passing the lifter 3, that is, the front end of the vehicle body V in the low speed transition area E2 is near the front end of the low speed transition area E2. In the reached state, the state is completely switched to the low speed conveyance. That is, the hanger 2 mounted with the vehicle body V2 shown in FIG. 1 is transported at a low speed, and there is no problem in safety even if the parts assembly work is performed on the vehicle body V2.

  In the present invention, since the low-speed transition area E2 has both the high-speed transfer state and the low-speed transfer state, the following method is adopted so that the work can be performed while ensuring safety. First, a safety fence (protective fence) 4 is installed from the area near the lifter 3 in the low-speed transition area E2 to the area immediately upstream of the lifter 3 (the area where the vehicle body V4 is located). It is an area where entry of workers is prohibited.

  Of the low-speed transition area E2, the area close to the lifter 3 is set as the protection area 5, and the downstream area is set as the alarm area 6. More specifically, the protection area 5 is an area where the hanger 2 (the vehicle body V mounted on the hanger 2) is still moving at high speed, and the alarm area 6 starts to decelerate from high speed movement and finally shifts to low speed movement. It is considered as an area. The setting of the protection area 5 and the alarm area 6 in the assembly line L is shown in the plan view of FIG.

  Next, the details of the low-speed transition area E2 will be described with reference to FIG. First, in the low-speed transition area E2, a floor sensor 10 as an intruder detection sensor is installed at a low position near the boundary between the protective area 5 and the alarm area 6. The floor sensor 10 is a laser sensor, and performs scanning at high speed in the horizontal direction along the floor F. That is, laser light is irradiated along the floor surface F, and the presence or absence of an intruder and the distance to the intruder are detected by the reflected light. The detection area α of the floor sensor 10 is indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3, which is a wide range from the entire low-speed transition area E2 to the area where the lifter 3 exists.

  In the low-speed transition area E2, a curtain-like detection area extending in the vertical direction is set on both the left and right sides. That is, a pair of left and right curtain sensors 11 and 12 are installed in accordance with the positions of the left and right ends of the low speed transition area E2. Each of the curtain sensors 11 and 12 is a laser sensor, and scans the laser light in a vertical direction along the left and right sides of the low-speed transition area E2 (sets the detection area in a curtain shape). ). Detection areas by the curtain sensors 11 and 12 are indicated by a symbol β in FIG.

  The floor sensor 10 detects the presence or absence of intruders (particularly workers) present in the low-speed transition area E2. In addition, the curtain sensors 11 and 12 detect the presence or absence of an intruder (particularly an operator's hand or foot) trying to enter the low-speed transition area E2 from both sides of the low-speed transition area E2. A door 4a for entering and exiting the safety fence 4 is set on the right side of the safety fence 4 in the vicinity of the low-speed transition area E2, and an intruder that passes through the door 4a is detected by the sensor 12. is there.

  FIG. 3 shows a state immediately after the vehicle body V3 mounted on the hanger 2 is shifted to the low speed conveyance in the low speed transition area E2. Parts (for example, brake pipes) are assembled to the vehicle body V3 that has been shifted to the low-speed conveyance. The part waiting space is indicated by reference numeral 21, and the assembling worker waiting beside the low-speed transition area E <b> 2 is indicated by reference numeral 22. Also, work completion switches (buttons) 23L and 23R that are turned on by the operator 22 are provided in the vicinity of the left and right of the low-speed transition area E2. A variety of parts space is also installed on the right side of the low-speed transition area E2 and there are workers, but these are not shown.

  When the assembly work of parts is completed for the left side of the vehicle body V in the low speed transition area E2, the left work completion switch 23L is turned on by the operator 22 (notification of completion of the left work). Similarly, when the assembly work of the parts is completed on the right side of the vehicle body V in the low speed transition area E2, the right work completion switch 23R is turned on by the operator 22 (notification of completion of the right work).

  In order to ensure the safety of the work of assembling the parts with respect to the vehicle body V3 in the low-speed transition area obtaining 2, the drive control of the hanger 2 is performed as shown in a flowchart as shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the flowchart of FIG. 6 will be described. In the following description, Q represents a step.

  First, at Q21, it is determined whether or not the hanger 2 that has moved to the low-speed transition area E2 (the vehicle body V mounted on the hanger 2) has completely shifted to low-speed conveyance. If the determination in Q21 is NO, it is determined in Q22 whether the hanger 2 (the vehicle body V mounted on it) is being conveyed at high speed. If YES in Q22, it is determined in Q23 whether any of the sensors 10, 11, 12 has detected an intruder. If YES in Q23, the hanger 2 is stopped in Q24 (the hanger 2 that is about to shift to the low-speed transition area E2 may be stopped).

  If NO is determined in Q22 or NO in Q23, the process returns to Q21. Thus, if an intruder is detected by any of the sensors 10 to 12 during high-speed transport, the transport is stopped and the safety of the intruder (particularly the worker) existing in the low-speed transition area E2 is ensured. Is done.

  If the determination in Q21 is YES, it is determined in Q25 whether or not there is work start guidance described later. This operation start guidance is performed after a predetermined time (for example, several seconds) has passed since the hanger 2 is completely in the low speed transfer state in the low speed transition area E2 (waiting for the predetermined time is a low speed transfer) To ensure confirmation).

  If NO in Q25, it is determined in Q26 whether any of the sensors 10-12 has detected an intruder. If YES in Q26, an alarm is issued in Q27. This alarm can be performed by, for example, voice notification by a speaker or lighting or blinking of an alarm lamp. If NO in Q26, the process returns to Q21.

  If YES in Q25, it is determined in Q28 whether the work completion switch has been turned ON. As will be described later, this work completion switch is turned on by the operator when the parts assembly is completed in the low-speed transition area E2, and the ON operation is performed at a position retracted from the low-speed transition area E2. Is called. When the determination of Q28 is NO, the determination of Q28 is repeated (state during assembly work).

  If the determination in Q28 is YES (assembling completed state), the process proceeds to Q26. In this way, after the transition to the low-speed conveyance, the assembly work is in progress from the work start guidance until the work completion switch is turned on. Even if the detection is performed, no conveyance stop or warning is performed. Although it is in the low-speed transfer state, it is a time zone that is unrelated to the assembly work after the work start guidance is performed or after the work completion switch is turned on. An alarm is issued when an operator inadvertently enters.

  In order to improve safety in the low-speed transition area E2, a display as shown in FIG. 4 is performed. First, as a common display for the left and right workers 22 in the low-speed transition area E2, for example, an orange common indicator lamp 31 and a green common indicator lamp 32 are installed adjacent to each other in the vertical direction. In addition, a speaker 33 is provided for notifying various guidance related to the work. Each of the common indicator lamps 31 and 32 and the speaker 33 are provided at a high position near the left and right middle portion of the low-speed transition area E2.

  A pair of left and right individual indicator lamps 41L and 42L are provided for the operator on the left side of the low-speed transition area E2. Similarly, a pair of left and right individual indicator lamps 41R and 42R are provided for the operator on the right side of the low-speed transition area E2.

  Each of the left and right individual indicator lamps 41L and 41R is, for example, an orange indicator lamp, and displays a character indicating that work is impossible when the lamp is lit. Each of the left and right individual indicator lamps 42L and 42R is, for example, a green indicator lamp, and a character display indicating the meaning of work is possible when the lamp is lit.

  The operation relationship among the common indicator lamps 31, 32, the individual indicator lamps 41L, 42L, 41R, 42R and the speaker 33 is set as shown in FIGS. In addition, lighting of each indicator lamp and light extinction are shown as follows. First, the “X” mark indicates when the light is turned off. The common indicator lamp 31 is indicated by “R” when lit, and the common indicator lamp 32 is indicated by “G” when lit.

  In FIG. 1, voice guidance is appropriately provided from the speaker 33 according to the position (movement time) in which the driving wheel position sequentially moves forward by the low-speed conveyance with reference to, for example, the driving wheel position of the hanger 2 in the low-speed transition area E2. Is called. The T1 position (time) in FIG. 1 is the timing at which the voice guidance for starting work is performed. The T2 position is a timing at which a voice guidance indicating that the work should be completed is performed on the assumption that the work completion switches 23L and 23R are not turned on. The T3 position is a timing at which voice guidance for turning on the completion switch is performed on the assumption that the work completion switches 23L and 23R are not turned on. The T4 position is set as a timing for stopping the line on the assumption that the work completion switches 23L and 23R are not turned on (no voice guidance).

  4A to 4C, a cancel switch (not shown) provided in the vicinity of the work completion switches 23L and 23R is operated to switch to a state where the work can be performed again (common indicator lamp). 31 and 32, and the individual indicator lamps 41L, 42L, 41R, and 42R are changed accordingly.)

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control example for the indicator lamps 31 and 32, the individual indicator lamps 41L, 42L, 41R, and 42R and the speaker 33. Hereinafter, the flowchart of FIG. 5 will be described including the relationship with the display modes of (a) to (g) of FIG.

  First, in Q1, it is determined whether or not the low-speed transfer area E2 has shifted to low-speed transfer, and more specifically whether or not a predetermined time (for example, several seconds) has elapsed since the shift to low-speed transfer. When the determination of Q1 is NO, the determination of Q1 is repeated. If YES in Q1, the voice guidance for starting work is provided from the speaker 33 in Q2, and this time corresponds to FIG.

  After Q2, it is determined in Q3 whether or not the work completion switch 23L is ON. When the determination in Q3 is NO, in Q4, a voice guidance that the work should be finished is performed from the speaker 33, and this time corresponds to FIG. 4 (b). After Q4, it is determined in Q5 whether or not the work completion switch 23L is ON.

  If the answer to Q5 is NO, in Q6, considering that the operation for turning on the work completion switches 23L and 23R has been forgotten, there is a voice guidance saying that the completion switches 23L and 23R should be turned on from the speaker 33. This time corresponds to FIG. 4 (c). After Q6, it is determined in Q7 whether or not the work completion switch 23L is ON. If NO in Q7, the operation is not completed within a predetermined time, so the line is stopped, and this time corresponds to (d) of FIG. After Q8, the process returns to Q7. When passing from Q8 to Q7, the line is stopped until the work is completed, and the process waits for the work completion switches 23L and 23R to be turned on.

  Here, in the modes of FIGS. 4E and 4F, when one of the left and right operations is completed, the individual indicator lamp on the completed side is a display mode in which the operation is not possible. When both the left and right tasks are completed, it is not necessary for the worker 22 to be in the low-speed transition area E2, so that the left and right individual indicator lamps are displayed as inoperable, and the common indicator lamp is the low-speed transition area. Only the orange that prohibits entry to E2 is lit. When there is an intruder in the low-speed transition area E2 even though the operations on both the left and right sides are completed, the common indicator lamps 31 and 32 are both blinked (alarm, corresponding to FIG. 4 (g)).

  As described above, the work area can be increased by the low-speed transition area E2, and a new work area required by shortening the total length of the assembly line L or changing the vehicle type is replaced with the existing assembly area. The line L can be added without lengthening the entire length. While the low-speed transition area E2 usually has a length equivalent to one vehicle body, the vehicle assembly line L has a plurality of low-speed transition areas E2 (for example, 5 to 8). Alternatively, the entire length of the assembly line L can be made extremely short by using most as a work area.

  Here, the high-speed transition area E1 can be effectively used as a work area in the same manner as the low-speed transition area E2. That is, the area (line length) shown by the wavy line in FIG. 1 can be used as a work area. The second intrusion detection sensor may be installed in the same manner as in the low speed transition area E2. Of course, in the high-speed transition area E1, the conveyance is stopped when an intrusion portion is detected during high-speed conveyance, while the conveyance is not stopped when an intrusion portion is detected during low-speed conveyance. In addition, for a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds) before high-speed conveyance is started (acceleration is started), the conveyance may be stopped by detecting the intrusion portion into the high-speed transition area E1, or only an alarm is given. You may make it perform. And you may make it utilize only the high-speed transfer area E1 as a work area, without using the low-speed transfer area E2 as a work area.

  Although the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and can be appropriately changed within the scope described in the scope of claims. For example, the invention includes the following cases. . The work line is not limited to a vehicle assembly line, and can be applied to various work lines. Of course, the object of the present invention is not limited to what is explicitly stated, but also implicitly includes providing what is substantially preferable or expressed as an advantage. It can also be expressed as

  The present invention is extremely suitable for shortening a work line or adding a work area to an existing work line.

L: Vehicle assembly line (work line)
H: Conveying device V (V1 to V5): Vehicle body (article)
E1: High speed transition area E2: Low speed transition area α: Detection area (floor surface sensor)
β: Detection area (curtain sensor)
T1: Work start guidance timing T2: Work end guidance timing T3: Guidance timing for prompting work completion switch ON T4: Line stop timing 1 (1A, 1B, 1C): Traveling rail (conveying device)
2: Hanger (transport device)
3: Lifter 4: Safety fence 21: Drive wheel 22: Motor 21: Parts waiting space 22: Worker 23L, 23R: Work completion switch 31: Common indicator 32: Common indicator 33: Speakers 41L, 41R: Individual indicator (left)
42L, 42R; Individual indicator (right side)

Claims (6)

In the work line of the article where work is performed on the article while conveying the article at high speed after conveying the article at high speed,
An intruder detection sensor for detecting an intruder into a low-speed transition area where an article is shifted from high-speed conveyance to low-speed conveyance is provided,
When an article is being conveyed at high speed in the low-speed transition area, the conveying device is stopped by detection of an intruder by the intruder detection sensor,
When the article is being conveyed at low speed in the low-speed transition area, even if an intruder is detected by the intruder detection sensor, the low-speed conveyance is continued without stopping the conveying device.
An article work line characterized by that. In claim 1,
The intruder detection sensor detects an intruder along the floor surface of the low-speed transition area, and a curtain that detects the intruder in a curtain shape along the vertical direction at both the left and right sides of the low-speed transition area. A work line of an article characterized by comprising a sensor. In claim 2,
Each of the floor sensor and the curtain sensor is a laser sensor that irradiates a laser beam and detects an intruder by reflection thereof. In any one of Claims 1 to 3,
An article work line, wherein the article is a vehicle body, and the work line is a vehicle assembly line for assembling parts to the vehicle body. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 4,
After carrying out the low-speed conveyance in which the work on the article is performed, the high-speed conveyance is performed,
A second intruder detection sensor for detecting an intruder into a high-speed transition area where the article is transferred from low-speed conveyance to high-speed conveyance;
When the article is being conveyed at high speed in the high-speed transition area, the conveyance device is stopped by the detection of the intruder by the second intruder detection sensor,
When the article is being conveyed at low speed in the high-speed transition area, even if an intruder is detected by the second intruder detection sensor, the low-speed conveyance is continued without stopping the conveying device.
An article work line characterized by that. In the work line of the article in which high speed conveyance is performed after the work is performed on the article while conveying the article at low speed by the conveyance device,
A second intruder detection sensor for detecting an intruder into a high-speed transition area where the article is transferred from low-speed conveyance to high-speed conveyance;
When the article is being conveyed at high speed in the high-speed transition area, the conveyance device is stopped by the detection of the intruder by the second intruder detection sensor,
When the article is being conveyed at low speed in the high-speed transition area, even if an intruder is detected by the second intruder detection sensor, the low-speed conveyance is continued without stopping the conveying device.
An article work line characterized by that.

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