JP6129642B2 - Assembly equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an assembly facility that includes an assembly line that sequentially assembles parts along a line and a component supply unit that supplies the parts to the assembly line.

For example, in an engine assembly line, a piston and a crankshaft are assembled in a cylinder block, and then a cylinder head is mounted, and a mission is assembled to assemble an engine.
Various types of assembly lines of this type have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1 (FIG. 1)).

  In FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1, a straight main line (X) (the numbers in parentheses indicate the reference numerals described in Patent Document 1. The same applies hereinafter), and sub-lines (Y1, Y2, Y3) in a comb-like shape. ) Are connected or branched, and a sub-assembly is made by sub-lines (Y1, Y2, Y3).

Specifically, the sub-line (Y2) includes a transfer station (S16) at the end, and the parts flowing through the processing assembly line (Y21) are moved to the transfer line (Y22) and returned to the main line (X).
The subline (Y3) also has a transfer station (S17) at the end, and the parts flowing through the transfer line (Y31) are moved to the processing assembly line (Y32) and returned to the main line (X).

  Between the subline (Y2) and the subline (Y3), the second transfer area (A3) is secured by expanding. The second transport area (A3) is a travel area for transporting necessary parts on which transport equipment such as a forklift travels.

  However, a large number of workers are arranged in the subline (Y2) and the subline (Y3) and engage in assembly work. Since transportation equipment runs near these workers, there is room for improvement.

Further, since the sub-lines (Y2, Y3) are provided with transfer stations (S16, S17) at the ends, the length cannot be easily changed.
However, as the performance of the engine increases, the engine becomes complicated and the assembly may become troublesome. Further, as the cost of the engine is reduced, the engine becomes simple and assembly may be simplified.
The sub-lines (Y2, Y3) of Patent Document 1 cannot be easily changed in length, but are required to be able to easily change the length of the line.

JP-A-8-57725

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an assembly facility that can separate an assembly line and a traveling area of a transport device.

The invention according to claim 1 is an assembly facility comprising an assembly line for sequentially assembling components along the line, and a component supply unit for supplying the components to the assembly line,
An axis parallel to the floor is defined as the x axis, and an axis orthogonal to the x axis and parallel to the floor is defined as the y axis.
The assembly line includes a plurality of linear portions extending in parallel to the y axis with an interval in the direction of the x axis, and one end connecting portions that connect one ends of the adjacent linear portions extending along the x axis. And a meandering line that extends along the x-axis and comprises a meandering line that connects the other ends of the linear parts, and a return connecting part that connects both ends of the meandering line,
The component supply unit extends along the x-axis to the outside of the one-end connection unit, and has a device travel path on which a traveling transport device travels,
From such a component supply unit, between the one end connecting portion and the adjacent one end connecting portion, from a component box feeding path and a serpentine line for sending a component box containing necessary components to the meandering line The parts box collection path for collecting empty parts boxes is extended ,
The return connecting portion extends below the parts box feeding path and the parts box collection path along the x-axis .

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the return connecting portion is arranged in a range not overlapping with the meandering line in a plan view.
In the invention according to claim 3, set upright lines, a serpentine rails laid on the floor, characterized by comprising a closed track unmanned conveyance carriage traveling is guided in meandering rail.

In the invention according to claim 1, the assembly line and the component supply unit are separated, and the device traveling path is provided in the component supply unit. That is, the transport equipment does not enter the assembly line.
Therefore, according to this invention, the assembly equipment which can isolate | separate the traveling area of an assembly line and transport equipment is provided.

In the invention which concerns on Claim 3 , an assembly line is comprised with a meandering rail and a track-type unmanned conveyance cart. The length of the serpentine rail can be easily changed.

It is a side view of a tracked automatic guided vehicle. It is a top view of the assembly equipment which concerns on this invention. It is a top view of an oval line.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are viewed in the direction of the reference numerals.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the tracked automatic guided vehicle 10 is self-propelled and guided by a rail 12 laid on a floor 11 (this rail meanders as shown in FIG. 2). A carriage, a vehicle body 13, driving wheels 14, driven wheels 15, a shoe 16 that is slidably contacted with the rail 12, a pantograph link 17 provided on the upper surface of the vehicle body 13, and a work supported by the pantograph link 17 It comprises a support 18 and a parts box mounting portion 19 provided on the upper surface of the vehicle body 13 at the front portion of the pantograph link 17.

  For convenience of explanation, an axis parallel to the floor 11 and extending in the front and back direction of the drawing is taken as an x axis, and an axis perpendicular to the x axis and parallel to the floor 11 is taken as a y axis.

A parts box 21 indicated by an imaginary line is placed on the parts box mounting part 19.
Further, for example, a cylinder block 22 is placed on the work support 18. A cylinder head 23 and a mission 24 indicated by imaginary lines are sequentially assembled to the cylinder block 22.

As shown in FIG. 2, the assembly facility 30 includes an assembly line 40 having a meandering line as a main part and a component supply unit 70.
The assembly line 40 includes first to eighth straight portions 41 to 48 that extend parallel to the y axis, and a first portion that extends along the x axis and connects one end of the second straight portion 42 and one end of the third straight portion 43. One end connecting portion 51, a second one end connecting portion 52 connecting one end of the fourth straight portion 44 and one end of the fifth straight portion 45, and one end of the sixth straight portion 46 and one end of the seventh straight portion 47 are connected. The third end connecting portion 53, the first other end connecting portion 55 connecting the other end of the first straight portion 41 and the other end of the second straight portion 42, the other end of the third straight portion 43 and the fourth straight portion. A second other end connecting portion 56 that connects the other end of 44, a third other end connecting portion 57 that connects the other end of the fifth straight portion 45 and the other end of the sixth straight portion 46, and a seventh straight portion 47. The other end of the eighth straight portion 48 and the other end of the eighth straight portion 48, and a return connecting portion that connects one end of the eighth straight portion 48 and one end of the first straight portion 41. 61.

  An assembly work area for workers and an assembly work area for robots are appropriately arranged along the first to eighth straight portions 41 to 48.

Preferably, the return connecting portion 61 is allowed to dive under the component supply portion 70.
Further, the third and fourth straight portions 43 and 44 are made shorter than the others, and the cylinder head sub-assembly line 62 is disposed outside the second other end connecting portion 56. In the cylinder head sub-assembly line 62, the work of assembling parts into the cylinder head in advance is performed, and the cylinder heads 23 in which the sub-assembly is completed are arranged.

Further, a mission sub-assembly line 64 is disposed in the vicinity of the entrance of the eighth straight portion 48. In the mission sub-assembly line 64, the work for assembling the parts in advance is performed, and the missions 24 in which the sub-assembly is completed are arranged.
Further, an oval (oval) -shaped oval line 66 is provided outside the eighth straight portion 48. Details of the oval line 66 will be described later.

It is desirable that the component supply unit 70 be partitioned by a fence 71 (or a wall). However, the fence 71 and the wall are not essential.
In the component supply unit 70, necessary components are packed into empty component boxes 72, 73, and 74 (which are the same as the reference numeral 21 in FIG. 1, but a new reference numeral is assigned to distinguish the location). And is supplied to the assembly line 40 in the form of component boxes 75, 76, 77.

  For this purpose, the first part box feeding path 78 and the first part box collecting path 79 are extended from the parts supply part 70 to the space between the first straight line part 41 and the first one end connecting part 51 to supply the second part box. The path 81 and the second part box recovery path 82 are extended to between the first end connection part 51 and the second end connection part 52, and the third part box supply path 83 and the third part box recovery path 84 are The one end connecting part 52 and the third one end connecting part 53 are extended.

  The component supply unit 70 is disposed outside the first to third one-end connection portions 51 to 53 and extends along the x-axis. The component supply unit 70 travels along a device travel path 87 on which a traveling transport device 86 represented by a forklift travels. Have. Since the traveling transportation device 86 travels on the device traveling path 87, it does not enter the assembly line 40.

Next, the operation of the assembly facility 30 having the above configuration will be described.
A cylinder block 22 is placed as shown by an arrow (1) on a tracked unmanned transport cart (hereinafter abbreviated as “cart”) 10A (English characters are added for clarity). Arrow (1) may be implemented by a robot.
The cart 10A moves forward through the first linear portion 41 and moves to the position of the cart 10B.

The parts box 75 (■ means that parts are filled) is transferred from the first parts box supply path 78 to the cart 10B. This transfer operation may be performed manually or by a robot.
While the cart 10 </ b> B moves forward through the first straight portion 41 and the second straight portion 42, the components in the component box 75 are assembled into the cylinder block 22. An empty parts box 72 (□ means empty) is returned to the first parts box return path 79 at the exit of the second linear portion 42.

The parts box 76 is transferred from the second parts box feed path 81 to the cart 10 </ b> C that has traveled around the first end connecting portion 51. While the cart 10 </ b> C moves forward through the third linear portion 43, the components in the component box 76 are assembled into the cylinder block 22. The cylinder head 23 is placed on the cylinder block 22 on the carriage 10C at the second other end connecting portion 56 (arrow (2)).
An empty parts box 73 at the exit of the fourth straight part 44 is returned to the second parts box return path 82.

The parts box 77 is transferred from the third parts box feed path 83 to the cart 10D that has traveled around the second end connecting portion 52. While the cart 10D moves forward through the fifth straight portion 45 and the sixth straight portion 46, the components in the component box 77 are assembled into the cylinder head 23 and the like.
An empty parts box 74 is returned to the third parts box return path 84 at the exit of the sixth straight portion 46.

The carriage 10E advances through the third one end connecting portion 53, the seventh straight portion 47, and the fourth other end connecting portion 58, and the transmission 24 is attached at the entrance of the eighth straight portion 48 (arrow (3)).
Then, the completed engine primary product 88 that has been assembled is moved from the carriage 10E to the carriage 89 that circulates the oval line 66 (arrow (4)). The empty cart 10E is returned to the first linear portion 41 through the return line 61.

Details of the oval line 66 will be described next.
As shown in FIG. 3, the oval line 66 is an oval or similar closed loop path, and an outbound path 91 disposed near and in parallel with the fourth straight line portion (FIG. 2, reference numeral 50), A first turn path 92 extending from the front end of the forward path 91, a return path 93 extending from the front end of the first turn path 92 in parallel with the forward path 91, and a second turn path 94 extending from the front end of the return path 93 and connected to the forward path 91. It consists of.
Along with the second turn path 94, an auxiliary machine box 95 for storing auxiliary machines and a table 97 for placing an empty box 96 are arranged.

By such an oval line 66, the carriage 89 is circulated and moved. For convenience of the following explanation, the carriage 89 is distinguished by adding English letters, such as 89A, 89B, 89C, 89D.
An auxiliary machine box 95 and a carry-out pallet 98 are placed on the carriage 89 </ b> A in the forward path 91. In the carriage 89B, the primary engine finished product 88 is transferred to the carry-out pallet 98 as indicated by an arrow (4). Thereafter, while the oval line 66 is moved by about a half turn, the auxiliary machine in the auxiliary machine box 95 is assembled to the primary engine finished product 88 by hand or robot.

The finished engine 99 on the carriage 89C is lowered while being placed on the carry-out pallet 98. The lowered engine finished product 99 is placed on the unloading pallet 98 and is loaded on the truck 101 and shipped by means such as a forklift.
Further, the unloading pallet 98 is lowered from the return track 102 to a predetermined position near the return path 93.

  The unloading pallet 98 is placed on the carriage 89D that travels on the return path 93. In the second return path 94, the empty box 96 is lowered to the platform 97, and an auxiliary machine box 95 is placed instead, and the form of a carriage 89A is obtained.

In the oval line 66, the unloading pallet 98 for unloading the engine finished product 99 is placed on the carriage 89, so the unloading panlet 98 is used as a work table.
The unloading pallet 98 can be used as a pallet on which the finished engine 99 is placed on the loading platform of the truck 101 by making it a pallet into which a fork can be inserted. When the departing truck 101 arrives at the destination, the unloading pallet 98 is also used as an unloading pallet when the finished engine 99 is unloaded from the loading platform of the truck 101 at this arrival place.

  Therefore, by combining the assembly line 40 shown in FIG. 2 with the oval line 66, a series of steps from assembling the engine to carrying out the engine finished product 99, that is, work can be carried out efficiently and smoothly. There is an advantage that the assembly equipment 30 can be compactly assembled.

  Note that the rail 12 shown in FIG. 1 is simply laid on the floor 11 and does not require digging, so that the pattern can be easily changed. As a result, as shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 2, the first other end connecting portion 55 can be moved and the first straight portion 41 and the second straight portion 42 can be extended.

  The assembly facility of the present invention is suitable for an assembly line of an engine, but may be applied to an assembly line of a general machine such as a reduction gear assembly line.

  The assembly facility of the present invention is suitable for an engine assembly line.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Tracked automatic guided vehicle, 11 ... Floor, 12 ... Meander rail, 21, 72-77 ... Parts box, 30 ... Assembly equipment, 40 ... Assembly line, 41-48 ... Linear part, 51-53 ... One end connection , 55-58 ... other end connecting part, 70 ... parts supply part, 78, 81, 83 ... parts box feeding path, 79, 82, 84 ... parts box collection path, 86 ... traveling transport equipment, 87 ... equipment Traveling road.

Claims (3)

An assembly facility comprising an assembly line for sequentially assembling parts along the line, and a parts supply unit for supplying the parts to the assembly line,
An axis parallel to the floor is defined as the x axis, and an axis orthogonal to the x axis and parallel to the floor is defined as the y axis.
The assembly line includes a plurality of linear portions extending in parallel to the y axis with an interval in the direction of the x axis, and one end connecting portions that connect one ends of the adjacent linear portions extending along the x axis. And a meandering line that extends along the x-axis and comprises a meandering line that connects the other ends of the linear parts, and a return connecting part that connects both ends of the meandering line,
The component supply unit extends along the x-axis to the outside of the one-end connection unit, and has a device travel path on which a traveling transport device travels,
From such a component supply unit, between the one end connecting portion and the adjacent one end connecting portion, from a component box feeding path and a serpentine line for sending a component box containing necessary components to the meandering line The parts box collection path for collecting empty parts boxes is extended ,
The assembly facility characterized in that the return connecting portion extends along the x-axis below the parts box supply path and the parts box collection path . The assembly facility according to claim 1, wherein the return connecting portion is disposed in a range that does not overlap the meander line in a plan view. The assembly equipment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the assembly line includes a meandering rail laid on the floor and a tracked unmanned conveyance cart that is guided by the meandering rail and travels.

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