JP6217271B2 - Parts feeder - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a parts feeder capable of grasping the number of workpieces remaining inside a conveyance path after supply of workpieces to a supply destination that produces electronic components and the like.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a parts feeder in which a workpiece that is an object to be conveyed is put into a workpiece container such as a hopper or a bowl feeder, and the workpiece supplied from the workpiece container can be conveyed along a chute. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a parts feeder that transports a workpiece supplied from a hopper on a chute and discharges the workpiece from the end of the chute. Patent Document 2 discloses a parts feeder in which a plurality of linear vibration feeders each having a chute to which a workpiece is conveyed are connected in series and the workpiece is conveyed by these linear vibration feeders.

JP-A-2-231305 JP-A-10-258923

  By the way, the workpiece conveyed to the end of the chute in the conventional parts feeder as described above is held by, for example, a pickup device and carried out of the chute, and is used for manufacturing (production) of electronic parts. The number of workpieces used for production is conventionally known at the supplier, but in addition to this, it is desirable to know the number of workpieces remaining in the parts feeder after production. This is to grasp the number of workpieces that were lost without being used for production from the number of workpieces put into the workpiece container, the number of workpieces used for production, and the number of workpieces remaining in the parts feeder. is there.

  Causes of the work being lost include spilling when it is put into the work container, or dropping during conveyance by the pickup device. In particular, the bowl feeder is equipped with a device that can determine the posture of the workpiece (the orientation and front and back of the workpiece) conveyed along a spiral track formed on the inner peripheral surface of the bowl body, which is not an appropriate posture. However, if the air is strong, the workpiece may jump out of the bowl body. There is also a risk that the workpiece will be lost.

  And if you know the number of lost workpieces, when you put workpieces into the workpiece container, how much extra workpieces are thrown into the required number of workpieces used for production in consideration of the lost amount You can easily find out how much you should do.

  In order to grasp the remaining number of workpieces after production, a counting means using a contact-type sensor is newly provided at the link between the end of the chute and the next-stage pickup device. It is customary to count the number of workpieces remaining in the feeder. However, it is necessary to configure the counting means separately from the parts feeder, which leads to an increase in cost, and it is necessary to establish a system linkage for control, and further, the space required for installing the parts feeder increases. Therefore, a parts feeder having counting means for counting the number of remaining workpieces as a component from the beginning of designing and manufacturing the parts feeder is desired.

  The present invention provides a parts feeder provided with a counting means in advance as a constituent element that effectively counts the number of workpieces remaining in the conveyance path and the like after the supply of workpieces to the supply destination is completed using the structure of the bowl feeder. The purpose is to do.

  The present invention takes the following measures in view of the above problems.

That is, the parts feeder according to the present invention includes a first transport unit formed with a spiral first transport path whose width decreases from the start end to the end, and the first transport unit is vibrated to vibrate on the first transport path. And a second feeder having a substantially straight second conveying path having a width substantially the same as the end width of the first conveying path. And a second feeder that vibrates the second conveying means and conveys the workpiece conveyed from the bowl feeder on the second conveying path. A part dropping portion formed by the first transfer means or the second transfer means , on which the workpiece transferred along the first transfer path or the second transfer path falls, and upstream of the component drop part. said side first conveying path A work aligning means for aligning the workpiece by said second transport path on is capable of opening and closing the parts falling section, during closing, the component the falling portion is formed first conveying means or the second conveying means The movable member that covers the component dropping part so as to constitute a part of the first conveying path or the second conveying path , and the number of workpieces that are installed below the component dropping part and fall from the component dropping part And a counting means for counting.

  Here, the first transport path is not limited to a configuration in which all of the first transport path is spiral from the start end to the end, and for example, a part of the first transport path may be linear.

  With such a configuration, the workpiece is transported to the end of the second transport path in a state where the movable member covers the component dropping portion, while it is transported in a state where the movable member does not cover the component dropping portion. The workpiece falls from the part drop part. The work dropped from the part dropping part is counted by the counting means during the dropping. As described above, the parts feeder of the present invention is provided with a counting unit capable of counting the number of remaining workpieces in advance as a constituent element, and the counting unit is separately configured in a portion that is intended to cooperate with the pickup device at the transport destination. It is possible to prevent an increase in cost due to linking the control system and an increase in space necessary for installing the parts feeder.

  In addition, since the part drop part is formed downstream from the position where the work is aligned by the work aligning means, the transport state in which, for example, works aligned in a row fall sequentially from the part drop part is realized. can do. For this reason, it is difficult for multiple workpieces to pass through the part dropping part at the same time.In addition, a plurality of workpieces are not collected during dropping, and it is easy to fall in a loose state. It becomes difficult to generate a counting error that the workpiece is counted as one, and the number of workpieces can be accurately counted by the counting means.

  In order to drop the workpiece remaining on the second conveyance path through the component dropping portion relatively easily, and to facilitate the attachment of the movable member, the component dropping portion causes the second conveyance means to perform the second conveyance. It is desirable that it be formed in the vicinity of the beginning of the road.

  The transport surface at the end of the first transport path is installed at a position higher than the transport surface at the start of the second transport path, and is continuous with the transport surface at the start of the second transport path through a predetermined gap. A component that is easy to maintain and is attached and detached when there is a component near the starting end of the second conveying means that is easily worn by a work from the end of the first conveying path to the starting end of the second conveying path. In order to achieve a simple configuration with a minimum number, it is desirable that the movable member is detachably attached to the second transport means body in the vicinity of the start end of the second transport path.

  In order to prevent the workpiece from being lost when the remaining number of workpieces is counted by the counting means, a light shielding sensor provided at a position where the counting means faces the workpiece falling from the component dropping portion is used. It is desirable that

  In order to easily manage the remaining number of workpieces, it is desirable that the counting means is configured to be able to output the acquired count value to the outside.

  In order to avoid the possibility of a new workpiece being lost due to the drop structure, the collection means is detachably disposed at a predetermined position where the workpiece dropped from the component dropping portion can be collected. Is preferred.

  As described above, according to the present invention described above, it is possible to realize a configuration in which a counting unit capable of counting the number of remaining workpieces is provided in advance as a constituent element, and to use the structural features of the bowl and count the falling workpiece Thus, it is possible to provide a parts feeder that can accurately count the number of workpieces.

The top view which shows the parts feeder which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The rear view which shows the parts feeder. The perspective view which expands and shows a part of the parts feeder. The schematic diagram which shows the workpiece | work conveyed on a track | truck and a linear conveyance path. The perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 which expands and shows a part of the parts feeder of the state which removed the movable member. The schematic diagram which shows a mode that the workpiece | work conveyed on the track | truck is collect | recovered by the collection container via a component dropping part. The schematic diagram which shows a mode that the workpiece | work remaining on the linear conveyance path is collect | recovered by the collection container via a component dropping part. Process drawing for demonstrating the use procedure of the parts feeder.

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

  A parts feeder 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed at a position where a workpiece W is transported toward, for example, a manufacturing apparatus for electronic components and the like, and the parts feeder after the manufacture (production) of the electronic components is completed. 1 has a function of counting the number of workpieces W remaining in one.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the parts feeder 1 includes a bowl feeder 2 that can accommodate a workpiece W that is one of components such as an electronic component and that conveys the accommodated workpiece W along a track 200 by vibration. , A linear feeder 3 that further conveys the workpiece W conveyed by the bowl feeder 2 along the linear conveying path 300 by vibration, and a control device (PC, controller not shown) that controls vibrations of the bowl feeder 2 and the linear feeder 3. ), A work aligning means 6 for aligning the work W on the track 200 on the upstream side of the part dropping part 301 to be described later, a counting means 4 for counting the number of works W falling from the part dropping part 301, and a part dropping And a collection container 5 that collects the workpiece W dropped from the section 301.

  The bowl feeder 2 includes a bowl main body 20 that can accommodate the workpiece W, and first vibration means 21 that is disposed below the bowl main body 20 and vibrates the bowl main body 20 by torsional vibration.

The bowl body 20 is a substantially partially inverted conical member having an open top, and the inner peripheral wall 201 rises spirally from the bottom 202 toward the upper edge 203 of the bowl body 20 as shown in FIG. A track 200 as a first transport path is formed in a groove shape. When the bowl main body 20 vibrates in the twisting direction by the first vibration means 21, the workpiece W on the bottom 202 is conveyed along the track 200 toward the upper edge 203 of the bowl main body 20. The width wd of the track 200 is formed so as to gradually narrow from the start end 200a to the end end 200b, that is, from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the workpiece W. As a result, efficient transfer is performed by translating a plurality of workpieces W on the track 200 until the transfer is in progress, and when reaching a narrow position, the number of workpieces W transferred in the width direction on the track 200 is limited. In addition, the direction of the workpiece W to be conveyed is adjusted. In the present embodiment, two or more workpieces W are not transported side by side in the width direction on the downstream side of the position (reduced width position) P shown in FIG. 1 in the track 200, and only one workpiece W can pass. The work width aligning means 6 for aligning the work W is constituted by the track 200 having a predetermined width wd ₀ and thus having a narrow width.

  On the downstream side of the reduced width position P in the bowl body 20, a posture determination unit (not shown) that determines the posture of the workpiece W and the workpiece W that has been determined to be in a posture other than a predetermined posture by the posture determination unit. Exclusion means (not shown) that is excluded from the track 200 is attached. For example, a sensor that uses a sensor is used as the posture determination unit, and a unit that uses an air jet is used as the exclusion unit. If it is determined that the workpiece W is in an abnormal posture (for example, the front and back are reversed) based on the detection result of the sensor, a discharge process of blowing air from an air jet to the workpiece W is performed to reverse the workpiece W to an appropriate posture, Alternatively, it is configured to be removed from the track 200 and returned toward the bottom 202.

Linear feeders 3, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a chute 30 having a width wd ₀ and grooved straight transporting path 300 having substantially the same width wd ₀ end 200b is formed in the track 200, the chute 30 is configured to include second vibration means 31 for elliptically vibrating 30 by the resonance of the leaf spring 310 (see FIG. 2). Further, as shown in FIG. 1, covers 307 a and 307 b that cover the straight conveyance path 300 from above are attached to the chute 30.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a gap S <b> 1 narrower than the width of the workpiece W in the conveyance direction is provided between the track 200 and the linear conveyance path 300. The width of the gap S1 is set to be equal to or larger than the amplitude of the chute 30, for example. The bowl feeder 2 and the linear feeder 3 have vibration means 21 and 31 that respectively give vibrations having different frequencies, and the gap S1 is not disturbed by the bowl body 20 and the chute 30 coming into contact with each other. It is provided as follows. As shown in FIG. 4, the conveyance surface 200 b ₁ of the end 200 b of the track 200 is provided at a position slightly higher than the conveyance surface 300 a ₁ of the start end 300 a of the linear conveyance path 300, thereby the gap S <b> _1. Is provided, the workpiece W is stably transferred from the end 200b of the track 200 to the start end 300a of the linear transfer path 300 and transferred. However, because of such a level difference, the end 200b of the track 200 is easily scraped off by the inclined workpiece W, and the falling workpiece W collides with the vicinity of the starting end 300a of the linear conveyance path 300. Easier to wear due to impact. This leads to a desorption structure described later.

  A stopper member 306 is provided at the end 300b of the linear transfer path 300 shown in FIG. 1 to stop the workpiece W that has been transferred, and a portion upstream of the end 300b is divided through a predetermined gap S2. In the vicinity of the terminal end 300b, the vibration from the second vibration means 31 is not transmitted. The workpiece W conveyed so far is held by a pickup device (not shown) and carried out to a next-stage manufacturing device or the like (not shown). Examples of the pickup device include a synchronous roller that rotates while sucking and holding the workpieces W one by one with a suction nozzle protruding from the outer peripheral surface. Further, in the chute 30, the fact that the workpiece W staying without being carried out by the pickup device has reached a predetermined number in spite of being conveyed to the vicinity of the terminal end 300 b of the linear conveying path 300 on the upstream side of the gap S <b> 2. An overflow sensor (not shown) for detection is provided. Based on the detection value of the overflow sensor, it can be handled that a predetermined number of manufacturing steps have been completed in the manufacturing device at the next stage.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the chute 30 is composed of a chute body 305 and a movable member 302 to be described later. Thus, when the movable member 302 is removed, a component dropping portion 301 is formed in which the workpiece W that has been transported on the track 200 falls. In the chute body 305, a substantially rectangular plate-like protruding portion 303 protrudes horizontally from below the facing surface 30 a (see FIG. 6) facing the end 200 b of the track 200 toward the end 200 b of the track 200. The portion 301 is formed by an opening provided in the protruding portion 303. This opening has a substantially U-shape in plan view, which penetrates the protruding portion 303 in the vertical direction and is open toward one end 200b of the track 200. Here, the parts feeder 1 of this embodiment can change the conveyance speed of the workpiece | work W suitably by adjusting the vibration of the 1st oscillating means 21 or the 2nd oscillating means 31, and the width dimension etc. are set as the workpiece | work W. Various types can be used. Therefore, since the workpiece W that has been transported on the track 200 falls in various parabolas and falls from the end 200b of the track 200, the opening width, the installation position, and the like of the component dropping unit 301 are determined in consideration of this point. Yes. The same applies to an opening 40a of the light shielding sensor 40 described later. Further, a screw hole 304b (see FIG. 5) for fixing the movable member 302 to the chute 30 is formed in the protruding portion 303.

  The movable member 302 opens and closes such a component dropping part 301. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, when the movable member 302 is closed, the movable member 302 is conveyed along the linear conveyance path 300 by a groove formed in the approximate center in the width direction of the upper surface 302a. It is a block-shaped member which comprises the surface 300c. One upper surface 302a1 of the upper surface 302a (302a1, 302a2) of the movable member 302 that is closer to the bottom 202 (see FIG. 1) of the bowl body 20 than the linear conveyance path 300 is more than the conveyance surface 300c of the linear conveyance path 300. The other upper surface 302a2 sandwiching the linear conveyance path 300 from the one upper surface 302a1 is higher than the one side. A screw insertion hole 304a is formed on the other upper surface 302a2, and the movable member 302 is placed on the protrusion 303 when closed, and the chute body 305 is screwed by the screw 304 through the screw insertion hole 304a and the screw hole 304b. Fixed to. As described above, the movable member 302 can be attached to and detached from the chute body 305 by the screw 304 (detachment structure). When the movable member 302 is closed, the component dropping portion 301 is covered from above and attached to the tip portion of the chute 30. Therefore, when the movable member 302 is attached, as shown in FIG. 4, the workpiece W conveyed on the track 200 passes over the movable member 302 from the terminal end 200b, and then on the linear conveyance path 300. Are conveyed toward the end 300b. On the other hand, when the movable member 302 is removed, the workpiece W conveyed on the track 200 falls from the end 200b of the track 200 through the component dropping portion 301 as shown in FIG. Go.

  The collection container 5 as the collection means shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6 has an opening that opens upward, and is placed on the mounting table 5a and below the component dropping unit 301 and at the second addition. A side of the vibration means 31 is detachably installed. The workpiece W dropped from the component dropping unit 301 is collected in the collection container 5.

  The counting means 4 shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 counts the number of workpieces W falling from the component dropping unit 301. The light shielding sensor 40 provided at a position facing the falling workpiece W, And a sequencer 41 connected thereto. The light shielding sensor 40 is supported by a support portion 41 at a height position between the component dropping portion 301 and the collection container 5, and an opening 40a is formed at a substantially center, and a plurality of the light shielding sensors 40 are opposed to each other with the opening 40a interposed therebetween. Is a substantially rectangular plate-like device incorporating a light emitting element and a light receiving element (not shown). The sequencer 41 detects the falling edge when the light emitted from the light emitting element is blocked by the work W passing through the opening 40 a of the light shielding sensor 40, thereby determining the number of works W dropped from the component dropping part 301. Count. The count value acquired by the counting unit 4 is output to an external device such as a server that manages a manufacturing apparatus such as an electronic component via the sequencer 41. The output timing may be performed based on either a manual operation with respect to the sequencer 41 or an external input from an appropriate device, and the sequencer 4 may be configured to switch between an output by a manual operation and an output by an external input.

  In the case of the parts feeder 1 having such a configuration, the workpiece W remaining in the bowl body 20 after the completion of the conveyance to the supply destination (after the completion of the production of electronic parts and the like) is dropped as shown in FIG. 5 can be recovered. Further, the workpiece W remaining on the linear conveyance path 300 of the chute body 305 is moved to the component dropping part 301 by using tweezers or the like by removing the covers 307a and 307b (see FIG. 1) from the chute body 305. As shown in FIG. 7, it can collect | recover in the collection container 5. FIG.

  Below, the usage procedure of the parts feeder 1 of this embodiment is demonstrated using process drawing of FIG. First, the workpiece W is put into the bowl main body 20 (step S1), and the first and second vibrating means 21 and 31 are driven to vibrate the bowl main body 20 and the chute 30, thereby conveying the workpiece W. Start (step S2). Thereby, the workpiece | work W in the bowl main body 20 moves on the track | truck 200, and is sequentially conveyed downstream. In conjunction with this conveyance start, operation of the manufacturing apparatus of the supply destination linked with the parts feeder 1 is started. The workpiece W transported to the end 200b of the track 200 then travels on the linear transport path 300 of the movable member 302, and is further transported on the linear transport path 300 of the chute body 305 to reach the end 300b. The workpiece W that has reached the end 300b is held by the pickup device and carried out of the linear conveyance path 300, and is used for production of electronic components and the like. When the production of a predetermined number of electronic parts and the like is completed, the count value acquired by the counting means 4 is reset (step S3), the movable member 302 is removed from the chute body 305 (step S4), and the workpiece W remaining on the track 200 is removed. Is transported to the end 200b of the track 200 and dropped from there through the component dropping unit 301. The number of workpieces W that have fallen is counted by the counting means 4 (step S5), and after being collected in the collection container 5, the conveyance of the workpiece W is terminated (step S6). Thereafter, the covers 307a and 307b (see FIG. 1) are removed from the chute body 305, and the workpiece W remaining on the linear conveyance path 300 is moved to the starting end 300a of the linear conveyance path 300 using tweezers or the like. It is dropped through the drop part 301. The number of the workpieces W that have fallen is counted by the counting means 4 (step S7) and collected in the collection container 5. The count value acquired by the counting means 4 is output to an external device (step S8), the movable member 302 is attached to the chute body 305 (step S9), and this step ends.

  As described above, the parts feeder 1 of the present embodiment includes the bowl main body 20 as the first transport unit in which the track 200 as the spiral first transport path whose width decreases from the start end 200a toward the end end 200b. The bowl feeder 2 provided with the first vibration means 21 that vibrates the bowl body 20 and conveys the workpiece W on the track 200, and the substantially linear shape having the same width as the end 200b of the track 200. A chute 30 as the second conveying means in which the linear conveying path 300 as the second conveying path is formed, and the workpiece W conveyed from the bowl feeder 2 by vibrating the chute 30 on the linear conveying path 300 And includes a linear feeder 3 having a second vibration means 31 to be conveyed at a position along the track 200. The part dropping part 301 where the conveyed work W falls, the work aligning means 6 for aligning the work W on the track 200 upstream of the part dropping part 301, and the part dropping part 301 can be opened and closed. Sometimes, the movable member 302 that covers the part dropping part 301 so as to constitute a part of the linear conveyance path 300 of the chute 30 in which the part dropping part 301 is formed, and the number of workpieces W falling from the part dropping part 301 And a counting means 4 for counting.

  With such a configuration, in a state where the movable member 302 covers the component dropping portion 301, the workpiece W is conveyed to the end 300 b of the linear conveyance path 300, while the movable member 302 covers the component dropping portion 301. In the absence, the conveyed workpiece W falls from the component dropping unit 301. The workpiece W dropped from the component dropping unit 301 is counted by the counting means 4 during dropping. As described above, the parts feeder 1 of the present invention is provided with the counting means 4 that can count the remaining number of workpieces W as a constituent element in advance, and the counting means is separately provided in a portion that is intended to cooperate with the pickup device at the transport destination. It is possible to prevent an increase in cost and an increase in space necessary for installing the parts feeder 1 by configuring and linking the control systems.

  In addition, since the component dropping portion 301 is formed at the downstream side of the position where the workpiece W is aligned by the workpiece aligning means 6, that is, the reduced width position P where the track 200 is narrowed to a predetermined width, the component dropping is performed. From the unit 301, for example, it is possible to realize a conveyance state in which the workpieces W arranged in a line are sequentially dropped. Therefore, it is difficult for a plurality of workpieces W to pass through the component dropping part 301 at the same time, and moreover, a plurality of workpieces W are not collected during dropping, and it is easy to fall in a loose state, A counting error in which a plurality of workpieces W are counted as one is less likely to occur, and the number of workpieces W can be accurately counted by the counting means 4.

When the component dropping part is provided on the upstream side of the reduced width position P in the bowl body 2, that is, in the part where the track 200 is not narrowed to the predetermined width wd ₀ , the plurality of workpieces W have the component dropping part. Since the plurality of workpieces W are easy to collect and fall easily, the counting means 4 is likely to cause a counting error in which the plurality of workpieces W are counted as one. The error from the actual number of remaining workpieces W tends to increase.

  In particular, since the component dropping part 301 is formed in the vicinity of the start end 300a of the linear conveyance path 300 in the chute 30, the workpiece W remaining on the linear conveyance path 300 is relatively easily dropped from the component dropping part 301 and counted. It can be counted by means 4. In addition, when the component dropping portion 301 is formed in the vicinity of the start end 300a of the linear transport path 300, the movable member 302 and the like are also provided in the vicinity of the start end 300a of the linear transport path 300. Since the number of components attached is smaller than the vicinity of the terminal end 300b, the movable member 302 and the like can be easily attached to the chute body 305. Furthermore, in general, in the parts feeder, the second vibrating means is provided at the center in the conveying direction below the chute and not provided below the starting end of the chute. It is possible to use the space in the parts feeder 1 effectively by installing it in the part.

Further, the conveying surface 200b ₁ of the end 200b of the track 200, while being placed at a position higher than the conveying surface 300a ₁ of the starting end 300a of the straight conveying path 300, the linear conveying path 300 via a predetermined gap S1 Conveying surface 300 a ₁ is continuous, and movable member 302 is detachably attached to chute body 305 in the vicinity of starting end 300 a of linear conveying path 300.

The first vibration means 21 and the second vibration means 31 have different vibration frequencies, and in order to prevent the bowl body 20 and the chute 30 from coming into contact with each other, the end of the track 200 can be prevented. 200b needs to be continuous at a predetermined gap S1 is a conveyance surface 300a ₁ of the starting end 300a of the transfer surface 200b ₁ and straight transporting path 300. Further, even if the end 200b of the track 200 and the start end 300a of the linear conveyance path 300 are separated, the conveyance of the end 200b of the track 200 is performed in order to smoothly move the workpiece W from the track 200 to the linear conveyance path 300 by vibration. The surface 200b ₁ is made higher than the transport surface 300a ₁ at the start end 300a of the linear transport path 300. In the case of such a configuration, parts constituting the vicinity of the start end 300a of the chute 30 are easily worn by the work W extending from the end 200b of the track 200 to the linear conveyance path 300. The parts that are desired to be easy to serve as the movable member 302 that can be detached from the chute main body 305 make the parts feeder 1 with a simple configuration that is easy to maintain and has a minimum number of parts that can be attached and detached. Can do.

  Further, since the counting means 4 uses the light shielding sensor 40 provided at a position facing the workpiece W falling from the component dropping portion 301, the component dropping portion 301 is compared with a case where a contact sensor or the like is used. It can suppress that the workpiece | work W which fell more is lost without being collect | recovered by the collection container 5. FIG. For example, when the counting means uses a contact sensor, the workpiece W that has contacted the contact sensor may be scattered in an unexpected direction and may not be collected in the collection container 5. By counting the number of workpieces W, it is possible to prevent the workpiece W from being newly lost as described above.

  Furthermore, since the count means 4 is configured to be able to output the acquired count value to the outside, the remaining number of workpieces W can be easily managed.

  Furthermore, since the collection container 5 is detachably disposed at a predetermined position where the workpiece W dropped from the component dropping unit 301 can be collected, there is a possibility that a new workpiece W may be lost due to the drop structure. The workpiece W remaining on the inside of the bowl body 20 and the chute body 305 can be collected at one place.

  As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, the specific structure of each part is not limited only to embodiment mentioned above.

  For example, in the present embodiment, the workpiece aligning means 6 is configured by the track 200 that becomes narrow in the middle, but is not limited to this as long as the workpiece W can be aligned. For example, a work alignment mechanism that is provided at a wide portion of the track 200 and that excludes a part of the plurality of works W conveyed in parallel from the track 200 by injecting air or the like. You may use as means 6. When such a workpiece alignment means 6 is provided, the track 200 does not have to be narrow in the middle.

  Moreover, although the component dropping part 301 is formed in the chute 30 in the vicinity of the starting end 300a of the linear conveyance path 300, it may be formed downstream from this, and the reduced width shown in FIG. It may be formed downstream of the position P.

  Further, in the present embodiment, one of the component dropping portions 301 is a U-shaped opening in plan view that is open toward the end 200b of the track 200, but may be an opening that is closed on all sides. Shapes other than U-shape, such as a shape, may be sufficient. Furthermore, it may be configured by removing a part of the bowl body 20 or the chute 30 over the width direction.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the entire movable member 302 is removed from the chute body 305. However, a part of the movable member 302 may be fixed to the chute body 305 and rotated around it. Specifically, the other end is lifted upward from one end fixed to the side surface of the chute body 305, or the upstream end in the transport direction is fixed to the chute body 305 and the other end on the downstream side is downward. There is a slope structure in which the workpiece W that is inclined toward the surface and is transported from the track 200 slides down the upper surface of the movable member 302 and is collected in the collection container 5. Moreover, the movable member 302 may be configured to be opened and closed manually, or may be configured to be automatically performed by connecting an appropriate actuator and controlled by a control device.

  Further, the chute 300 may be configured not only to transport the workpiece W from the start end 300a toward the end end 300b but also to be switched so as to transfer the work W from the end end 300b toward the start end 300a (a configuration capable of reverse transfer). In the case of such a configuration, it is preferable that the workpiece W remaining on the chute 300 is reversely conveyed and dropped from the component dropping unit 301.

  Other configurations can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Parts feeder 2 ... Bowl feeder 3 ... Linear feeder 4 ... Counting means 5 ... Recovery means (collection container)
6 ... Work aligning means 20 ... First conveying means (Bowl body)
21 ... First vibration means 30 ... Second transport means (chute)
31 ... Second vibration means 40 ... Light shielding sensor 200 ... First transport path (track)
200a... First end of first transport path (track) 200b... End of first transport path (track) 200b ₁ ... End of transport surface of first transport path (track) 300. Road (straight conveyance path)
300a: Start end of the second transfer path (linear transfer path) 300a ₁ ... Transfer surface of the start end of the second transfer path (linear transfer path) 301 ... Parts dropping part 302 ... Movable member 305 ... Second transport means body (chute body)
S1 ... Gap W ... Work P ... Position (reduced width position)
wd ₀ ... predetermined width

Claims (6)

First conveying means in which a spiral first conveying path whose width becomes narrower from the start end to the end is formed, and first vibration for conveying the work on the first conveying path by vibrating the first conveying means And a second feeder having a substantially straight second conveying path having a width substantially the same as the end width of the first conveying path, and the second conveying means is vibrated. A parts feeder including a linear feeder provided with a second vibrating means for transporting the workpiece transported from the bowl feeder on the second transport path,
A part dropping part formed by the first transfer unit or the second transfer unit , to which the workpiece transferred along the first transfer path or the second transfer path falls,
A work aligning means for aligning the workpiece on the upstream side of the first conveyance path or the second transport path on than the component dropping portion,
The part dropping part can be opened and closed, and when closed, the first dropping part of the first conveying part or the second conveying part in which the part dropping part is formed constitutes a part of the second conveying path A movable member that covers the component dropping part,
A parts feeder comprising: counting means for counting the number of workpieces falling from the component dropping part.   2. The parts feeder according to claim 1, wherein the component dropping portion is formed in the vicinity of a starting end of the second transport path in the second transport unit. The transport surface at the end of the first transport path is installed at a position higher than the transport surface at the start of the second transport path, and is continuous with the transport surface at the start of the second transport path through a predetermined gap. And
The parts feeder according to claim 2, wherein the movable member is detachably attached to the second transport means body in the vicinity of the start end of the second transport path.   The parts feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the counting means uses a light-shielding sensor provided at a position facing a workpiece falling from the component dropping portion.   The parts feeder according to claim 1, wherein the counting unit is configured to be able to output the acquired count value to the outside.   The parts feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a collecting means is detachably disposed at a predetermined position where the workpiece dropped from the part dropping part can be collected.

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