JP6277919B2 - Metal sheet transport / stacking device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a metal sheet conveying / stacking device that conveys a metal sheet cut by a blanking press line and loads the metal sheet on a stacking location.

  In a conventional blanking press line, a metal sheet cut by a press machine is conveyed by a conveyor or the like and dropped and stacked on a stacking place. As an apparatus for stacking this metal sheet on a stacking location, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a rectangular plate material transported and transported by the conveyor in the forward unloading area adjacent to the end of the conveyor is placed on the stacking table or carriage below. In the stacking apparatus, the stopper is installed in front of the carry-out area, the side receiving guide is installed on both sides of the carry-out area, and the front receiving guide is installed in front of the carry-out area. The side receiving guide and the front receiving guide move forward or backward or swing to a state in which the rectangular plate material moves from the installation position to a level slightly lower than the transfer level of the conveyor in the unloading area each time the rectangular plate material is unloaded from the conveyor. An invention of a rectangular plate material stacking device is disclosed, which is characterized by being appropriately controlled.

Japanese Utility Model Publication 5-69001

However, in the invention of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, it is necessary to temporarily stop the production of the press machine at the time of taking out the stacked sheets after completion of the stacking in which the rectangular plate materials (metal sheets) are stacked at the required height. There was a problem that productivity of the ranking press line was lowered.
That is, in the invention of Patent Document 1, the side receiving guide and the front receiving guide are controlled to advance or retreat or swing from the installation position every time the metal sheet is carried out of the conveyor. The sheet loading time is short, and it can correspond to the production speed of the press machine. However, when the stacked sheets are taken out after the stacking is completed, it is necessary to move the cart or the like at a low speed so that the stacked metal sheets do not collapse, and the moving time of the cart or the like becomes longer than the loading time of the metal sheets. Therefore, the production of the metal sheet by the press machine must be stopped while the stacked sheets are being taken out. As a result, there is a problem that the productivity of the blanking press line is lowered because the press machine is temporarily stopped each time the stacked sheets are taken out after the stacking is completed.
On the other hand, in order to avoid the production stop, there is a way to increase the number of metal sheet accumulation points, but in that case, there is a problem that the equipment becomes heavy and the equipment cost and installation space increase. .

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and provides a metal sheet conveyance / stacking device capable of reducing the production stoppage of a press machine in a blanking press line while reducing the size of equipment. With the goal.

In order to solve the above problems, a metal sheet conveying / stacking apparatus according to the present invention has the following configuration.
(1) A conveyance device that conveys a metal sheet cut by a press in a blanking press line to the downstream side of the line, a centering device that positions the metal sheet conveyed by the conveyance device, and the positioning that is positioned by the centering device A metal sheet transporting and stacking device, comprising a stacking device that holds the metal sheet by a holding unit and stacks it on a stacking location located on the downstream side of the line from the centering device ,
The holding unit of the stacking device holds the plurality of metal sheets stacked on the centering device in a lump after the centering device stacks and positions the plurality of metal sheets, and stacks them on the stacking location. ,as well as,
The holding unit of the loading device includes an electromagnet capable of controlling magnetic force,
The stacking device collectively attracts the plurality of metal sheets stacked by the electromagnet and conveys them to above the accumulation location, and then lowers the holding unit by lowering the magnetic force from when attracting and transporting. It is characterized by that.

In the present invention, the holding unit of the stacking device holds the plurality of metal sheets stacked on the centering device in a lump after the centering device stacks and positions the plurality of metal sheets, and stacks them on the stacking location. Therefore, the production stoppage of the press machine in the blanking press line can be reduced.
That is, the time for the centering device to position the metal sheets conveyed by the conveying device one by one is shorter than the time for removing the metal sheets stacked at the accumulation location from the accumulation location, but the metal sheet conveyed by the conveyance device is centered. After the apparatus stacks and positions a plurality of sheets, a plurality of stacked metal sheets are stacked on the stacking location, so that the metal sheets are stacked at the stacking location every predetermined time. In addition, it is possible to secure time for taking out the metal sheets that have been stacked at the accumulation location from the accumulation location.
As a result, after a plurality of metal sheets continuously cut by the press machine are stacked and positioned by the centering device, a plurality of stacked metal sheets on the centering device are collectively collected by the holding unit of the stacking device. By holding and stacking at the stacking location, the metal sheets that have been stacked at the stacking location can be taken out continuously. That is, without stopping the production of the press machine, it is possible to continuously perform cutting of stacked metal sheets onto a stacking location and taking out the metal sheets that have been stacked at the stacking location.
In addition, since the metal sheets that have been stacked at the stacking location can be taken out within the predetermined time, it is not necessary to add the stacking locations to a plurality of locations.
The holding unit of the stacking device includes an electromagnet capable of controlling the magnetic force, and the stacking device sucks the metal sheets stacked by the electromagnet together and conveys the magnetic sheet to the upper part of the stacking position, and then applies the magnetic force. Since the holding unit is lowered by lowering than at the time of adsorption and conveyance, the stacking device generates a strong magnetic force adapted to the plate thickness, weight, etc. of the metal sheet from the centering device to the upper part of the stacking location. It is possible to prevent the metal sheet from slipping or dropping when it is conveyed, and then to reduce the magnetic force of the electromagnet, thereby avoiding the suction of the metal sheet or the like loaded at the stacking location.
As a result, it is possible to reduce the production stoppage of the press machine while further improving the holding stability and the conveyance speed of the stacking device.
Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a metal sheet conveying / stacking device capable of reducing the production stoppage of the press machine in the blanking press line while reducing the size of the equipment.
The holding unit of the stacking device is preferably provided with a sheet discharging unit that presses the metal sheet downward. When stacking the metal sheet on the stacking position, the stacking device holding unit forcibly separates the metal sheet from the electromagnet by the sheet discharging unit pressing the metal sheet downward, and stacks the metal sheet on the stacking position. This is because the certainty at the time can be improved.

(2) In the metal sheet conveying / stacking device described in (1),
The centering device includes a positioning unit that stacks and positions a plurality of the metal sheets, and the stacking metal sheets that are collectively held by the holding unit of the stacking device from the positioning unit to the downstream side of the line. And a moving unit for moving.

In the present invention, the centering device includes a positioning unit that positions and positions a plurality of metal sheets, and a plurality of stacked metal sheets that are collectively held by the holding unit of the stacking device from the positioning unit to the downstream side of the line. Since the moving part to move is provided, the moving distance in which the holding part of the stacking device reciprocates between the centering device and the stacking location can be shortened. For this reason, the holding unit of the stacking device collectively holds a plurality of metal sheets stacked by the centering device and slows the moving speed of moving the metal sheets to the stacking location, thereby suppressing the metal sheet from dropping or misalignment. be able to.
As a result, the production stoppage of the press machine can be reduced while improving the holding stability of the stacking apparatus during the movement of the metal sheets stacked in a plurality of sheets.

  The positioning part is equipped with a horizontally movable front gauge part (line upstream side), rear gauge part (line downstream side), and side gauge parts (line right and left sides). The front gauge part and side gauge part are made of metal. It is preferable to provide a stamping mechanism that presses the outer edge of the sheet in the horizontal direction. This is because each time the metal sheets are stacked in the positioning portion, the stamping mechanism presses the outer edge of the metal sheet in the horizontal direction, so that the stacked metal sheets can be reliably aligned in the vertical direction.

(3) In the metal sheet conveying / stacking device described in (2),
The moving part includes a fork part that is horizontally formed so as to be cantilevered by a support part arranged on the downstream side of the line, and the fork part is positioned by the positioning part and stacked in a plurality of layers. The sheet is scooped up from below and moved to the downstream side of the line.

In the present invention, the moving part is provided with a fork part formed horizontally so as to be cantilevered by a support part arranged on the downstream side of the line, and the fork part is positioned by the positioning part and stacked in a plurality of layers. As the metal sheet is scooped up from below and moved to the downstream side of the line, as soon as the fork part moves from below to above the positioning part, the positioning part where the metal sheet transported from the transport device is emptied The metal sheet cut by the press machine can be continuously fed from the conveying device to the positioning unit. That is, since the support part of the fork part is arranged on the downstream side of the line, if the fork part moves upward from the front gauge part or the like in the positioning part, the metal sheet conveyed by the conveying device is obstructed by the fork part. Without being inserted into the positioning part. Therefore, the metal sheet cut at a desired production speed by the press machine can be continuously fed from the conveying device to the positioning unit simply by moving the fork unit from below to above the positioning unit.
As a result, it is possible to reduce the production stoppage of the press machine while improving the production speed in the blanking press line.

In addition, it is preferable that a fork part is provided with the several fork body which draws the same locus | trajectory and raises / lowers and advances / retreats, and the fork body is formed so that the use number can be selected according to the shape of a metal sheet. This is because interference between the side gauge portion and the like in the positioning portion and the fork body can be easily avoided while simplifying the drive mechanism of the fork portion.
In addition, it is preferable to control acceleration and deceleration (negative acceleration with respect to the traveling direction) when the fork portion is raised and retracted (moved to the downstream side of the line). This is because it is possible to reduce the jumping and displacement of the metal sheet.

(4) In the metal sheet conveying / stacking device described in (2) or (3),
The centering device includes a temporary placing table on which the moving unit temporarily places the plurality of stacked metal sheets at a position moved to the downstream side of the line.

In the present invention, the centering device is provided with a temporary placement table for temporarily placing a metal sheet in which a plurality of moving parts are stacked on the downstream side of the line. Immediately after the temporary placement, the holding unit of the stacking apparatus can collectively hold the metal sheets temporarily placed on the temporary placement stand and stacked in a stacking place. Therefore, the loading time can include the time for the moving unit to return from the temporary placement table to the standby position. Therefore, the holding unit of the stacking apparatus can convey the metal sheets stacked in a plural number to the stacking place at a lower speed.
As a result, it is possible to reduce the production stoppage of the press machine while further improving the holding stability of the loading device.

( 5 ) In the metal sheet conveying / stacking device described in any one of (1) to ( 4 ),
A pallet exchanging device having a plurality of pallets and a plurality of carts that are mounted with the pallets and move between the stacking location and the pallet loading / unloading location; Before starting to move to the location, the empty cart loaded with the next pallet is brought close to the actual cart at the accumulation location.

In the present invention, a pallet exchanging device having a plurality of pallets and a plurality of carriages mounted with the pallets and moving between an accumulation place and a pallet loading / unloading place is provided. Before starting to move to the loading / unloading location, the empty cart loaded with the next pallet is placed close to the actual loading cart at the stacking location. It is possible to complete the movement of the mounted empty cart to the accumulation location.
As a result, it is possible to further reduce the pallet switching time for switching to the next pallet at the stacking location while preventing the metal sheet from collapsing after completion of loading, and to reduce the production stop of the press machine.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the metal sheet conveyance and stacking apparatus which can reduce the production stop of the press machine in a blanking press line can be provided, aiming at the compactness of an installation.

It is a top view of the conveyance / stacking apparatus of the metal sheet which concerns on this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view seen from the right side of the metal sheet conveying / stacking device shown in FIG. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of each guide part in the positioning part shown in FIG. It is a locus | trajectory figure of the fork part shown in FIG. It is a test result graph of the acceleration of the fork part shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view of the loading device shown in FIG. It is typical explanatory drawing of the electromagnet shown in FIG. It is a graph showing the excitation method of the electromagnet shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a time chart of the metal sheet conveyance / stacking apparatus shown in FIG.

Next, the metal sheet conveying / stacking apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
First, the basic configuration of the present metal sheet conveying / stacking apparatus will be described, and then the centering apparatus, stacking apparatus, and pallet exchanging apparatus constituting the present embodiment will be described in detail. Finally, the operational relationship of the entire apparatus will be described.

<Basic configuration of metal sheet transport / stacking device>
First, a basic configuration of a metal sheet conveying / stacking apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a metal sheet conveying / stacking apparatus according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the metal sheet conveying / stacking device shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the right side.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the metal sheet conveying / stacking apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment is an apparatus disposed on the downstream side of the press machine 1 constituting the blanking press line 20. A transport device 3, a centering device 4, a stacking device 5, and a pallet exchanging device 6 are provided.

  The press machine 1 is an apparatus that cuts a metal sheet 2 having a required outer shape from a metal plate W that is mounted in a coil shape with a cutting die 11 mounted thereon. The press machine 1 can cut the metal sheet 2 at a speed of about 1 second / sheet, for example.

  The metal sheet 2 cut by the press machine 1 flows through the cutting-type shooter 12, is placed on a transfer device 3 such as a belt conveyor, and is transferred to the downstream side of the line in a cut posture. A detector 31 that detects the metal sheet 2 to be conveyed and a conveyance shooter 32 are provided on the downstream side of the line of the conveyance device 3. A collection box 33 that collects the end material of the metal plate W via the end material recovery shooter 13 is disposed below the conveying device 3. It is preferable that the conveyance speed of the conveyance device 3 can be variably controlled. This is for adapting to the cutting speed of the press 1.

  The metal sheet 2 transported by the transport device 3 passes through the detection area of the detector 31 and then enters the centering device 4 via the transport shooter 32. In the centering device 4, a positioning unit 41 that stacks and positions a plurality of metal sheets 2 and a plurality of stacked metal sheets 2M that are collectively held by the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 are line-downstream from the positioning unit 41. And a moving unit 42 that moves to the side.

  The positioning part 41 includes a front gauge part 411 (line upstream side) and a rear gauge part 412 (line downstream side) that can move horizontally in the front-rear direction, and a side gauge part 413 (line right and left sides) that can move horizontally in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. Each gauge part is comprised so that position adjustment is possible according to the external shape of various metal sheets 2. In addition, the moving part 42 includes a fork part 421 formed horizontally so as to be cantilevered by a support part 422 disposed on the downstream side of the line. The fork portion 421 is configured to be able to scoop up a plurality of metal sheets 2M positioned and positioned by the positioning portion 41 from below to move downstream in the line.

  The stacking device 5 includes a holding unit 51 that collectively holds a plurality of stacked metal sheets 2M, an arm unit 52 that supports the holding unit 51 and can be bent and turned, and the arm unit 52 can be turned. And a main body 53 to be supported. The holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 holds the metal sheets 2M stacked on the centering device 4 in a lump after the centering device 4 stacks and positions the plurality of metal sheets 2 and positions the pallet changing device 6. The pallet 61 mounted on the carriage 62 located at the accumulation location 6S is loaded.

  The holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 can horizontally swivel a plurality of stacked metal sheets 2M on the centering device 4, change them to a required posture and stack them on the pallet 61. The holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 can also extract a plurality of stacked metal sheets 2M on the centering device 4 and transport them to the inspection table 8 arranged for quality inspection.

  The pallet exchanging device 6 includes a plurality of pallets 61 and a plurality of carriages 62 on which the pallets 61 are mounted and moved along the rails 63 between the accumulation point 6S and the pallet loading / unloading point 6T. The stacking place 6S is arranged at the center of the most downstream part of the transport / stacking device 10, and the pallet loading / unloading places 6T are arranged on both the left and right sides of the stacking place 6S. The rail 63 is laid in the left-right direction on the floor surface.

  The metal sheet 2N loaded on the pallet 61 at the accumulation location 6S is transported to the pallet loading / unloading location 6T by a cart (also referred to as “actual cart” 621 in this case) 62 and then transported by a transport device 7 such as a forklift. The entire pallet 61 is taken out and transported to a predetermined storage location. The next pallet 61 is mounted by the transport device 7 on the cart 62 (also referred to as “empty cart” 622 in this case) from which the loaded metal sheet 2N is removed at the pallet loading / unloading location 6T. A safety fence 9 is installed on the outer periphery of the transport / loading apparatus 10, and a fence door 91 that can be opened and closed is installed at the pallet loading / unloading point 6T.

<Details of centering device>
Next, a detailed configuration of the centering device 4 constituting the metal sheet conveying / stacking device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of each guide portion in the positioning portion shown in FIG. FIG. 3A shows a state before the metal sheet is pressed by the stamping mechanism, and FIG. 3B shows an arrangement in which the metal sheets stacked by pressing the metal sheet by the stamping mechanism are aligned in the vertical direction. Indicates the state. FIG. 4 shows a locus diagram of the fork portion shown in FIG. FIG. 5 shows a test result graph of the acceleration of the fork portion shown in FIG.

(Positioning part)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the positioning portion 41 of the centering device 4 includes a plurality of front gauge portions 411 (on the upstream side of the line) and rear gauge portions 412 (on the downstream side of the line) that are disposed at opposite positions in the front-rear direction. Are supported by a base 44 installed on the floor so as to be horizontally movable. The base 44 is equipped with a front drive unit that moves the front gauge unit 411 in the front-rear direction and a rear drive unit that moves the rear gauge unit 412 in the front-rear direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the front gauge portion 411 includes a front guide pin 4111, a buffer mechanism 4112, and a stamping mechanism 4113. The front guide pin 4111 is a rod-like body that extends vertically, is fixed to the buffer mechanism 4112, and is connected to the stamping mechanism 4113 through the buffer mechanism 4112. The stamping mechanism 4113 is formed to be movable by the front drive unit.

  The stamping mechanism 4113 has a fluid cylinder, and its rod expands and contracts every time the metal sheets 2M are stacked, and the front guide pin 4111 is pressed against the outer edge portion 21 of the metal sheet 2 to be stacked and positioned. The metal sheets 2M are aligned in the vertical direction. The buffer mechanism 4112 has an elastic member, and reduces the impact force that the front guide pin 4111 receives from the outer edge portion 21 of the metal sheet 2.

  The rear gauge portion 412 includes a rear guide pin 4121 and a buffer mechanism 4122. The rear guide pin 4121 is a rod-like body extending up and down, and is connected to the rear drive unit via a buffer mechanism 4122. The buffer mechanism 4122 has an elastic member, and reduces the impact force that the rear guide pin 4121 receives from the outer edge portion 21 of the metal sheet 2.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the base 44 is provided with a sheet receiving portion 414 that supports a plurality of metal sheets 2M that are positioned and positioned by the positioning portion 41 in a horizontal state. The sheet receiving portion 414 is provided with a plurality of rod-shaped receiving portions 4141 that are in contact with the lower end of the metal sheet 2 and extended in the front-rear direction with a gap in the left-right direction.

  Further, on both the left and right sides of the base 44, a first side drive unit that moves the side gauge unit 413 in the left-right direction and a second side drive unit that moves the first side drive unit in the front-rear direction are provided. . The first side drive unit and the second side drive unit are formed so as to be movable in front, rear, left and right positions according to the outer shape of the metal sheet 2.

  As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the side gauge portion 413 includes a side guide pin 4131, a buffer mechanism 4132, and a stamping mechanism 4133 as in the case of the front gauge portion 411. The side guide pin 4131 is a rod-like body that extends vertically, is fixed to the buffer mechanism 4132, and is connected to the stamping mechanism 4133 through the buffer mechanism 4132. The stamping mechanism 4133 is connected to the first side driving unit.

  The front guide pin 4111, the rear guide pin 4121, and the side guide pin 4131 are a front drive unit, a rear drive unit, a first side drive unit, and a second side drive unit before the press machine 1 starts cutting the metal sheet 2. Is moved to a position corresponding to the metal sheet 2 to be positioned. The rear guide pin 4121 serving as a positioning reference is moved to a position where it abuts on the outer edge portion 21 of the metal sheet 2. In contrast, the front guide pins 4111 and the side guide pins 4131 connected to the stamping mechanisms 4113 and 4133 are moved from the outer edge portion 21 of the metal sheet 2 to positions separated by the stroke length of the stamping mechanisms 4113 and 4133. The positions of the front guide pins 4111, the rear guide pins 4121, and the side guide pins 4131 are stored in the control unit as data for each target metal sheet 2, and can be automatically adjusted.

  The stamping mechanisms 4113 and 4133 operate in response to a signal that the metal sheet 2 conveyed by the conveying device 3 has passed through the detection area of the detector 31. The number of stacked metal sheets 2 is determined so as to ensure the transport stability and transport time of the stacking device 5 and the time for taking out the stacked sheets at the stacking location 6S. For example, about five sheets are preferable.

(Moving part)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the moving unit 42 of the centering device 4 includes a fork unit 421 having a plurality of fork bodies 4211 that are selectively connected and formed in a comb-tooth shape, and each fork body 4211. A support portion 422 for supporting and a temporary placement table 43 formed so that each fork body 4211 can pass in the vertical direction are provided. The fork part 421 is moved in the front-rear direction by a fork drive part mounted on the support part 422. The support portion 422 is supported by the base 45 so as to be vertically movable. The fork body 4211 is a substantially long rectangular tube body in which the metal sheet 2M can be placed on the upper end and extends horizontally in the front-rear direction.

  At the standby position of the fork portion 421, the line upstream side of each fork body 4211 is inserted into a gap formed by the rod-like receiving portion 4141 of the sheet receiving portion 414 in the left-right direction. The height of each fork body 4211 at the standby position is set slightly lower than the height of the rod-shaped receiving portion 4141. The level difference h1 is preferably about several mm to several tens of mm. The front end portion of the fork body 4211 on the upstream side of the line extends to a position substantially the same as the upstream side position of the bar-shaped receiving portion 4141.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, each fork body 4211 of the fork portion 421 moves up and down and moves forward and backward along the same locus. In FIG. 4, the position (A) is the standby position of the fork body 4211, the position (B) is the raised position of the fork body 4211, the position (C) is the retracted position of the fork body 4211, The position D) is the lowered position of the fork body 4211.

  When a plurality of metal sheets 2 conveyed by the conveying device 3 are stacked and positioned by the positioning unit 41, the fork body 4211 is moved to the standby position (A ) To the ascending position (B) and scoop up the stacked metal sheets 2M from below to above. In the raised position (B), the metal sheet 2M placed on the fork body 4211 is positioned above the front gauge part 411, the rear gauge part 412, the side gauge part 513, and the like.

  Next, when the fork portion 421 moves backward (on the downstream side of the line), the metal sheet 2M placed on the fork body 4211 moves above the temporary placement table 43. It is preferable that the temporary placement table 43 is horizontally extended at a position facing the moved metal sheet 2M and set to a height slightly lower than the upper surface of the fork body 4211 at the retracted position (C). The step h2 is preferably about 10 to 30 mm. The temporary placement table 43 is formed by being divided in the left-right direction, and is fixed to the base 45 respectively. A detection plate 431 (for example, a conductive rubber plate or the like) that detects that the metal sheet 2M is placed is mounted on each of the divided temporary placement tables 43.

  Next, the fork body 4211 moves from the retracted position (C) to the lowered position (D) when the support portion 422 is lowered with respect to the base 45. The metal sheet 2M on the fork body 4211 is transferred to the temporary placement table 43, and the fork body 4211 that has become empty moves to the lowered position (D). Further, when the fork portion 421 moves forward (upstream on the line), the fork body 4211 moves from the lowered position (D) to the standby position (A).

  The results of evaluating the behavior of the metal sheet 2M accompanying the movement of the fork portion 421 will be described. FIG. 5 shows the test results of evaluating the relationship between the acceleration P and deceleration Q (negative acceleration with respect to the traveling direction) and the metal sheet 2M jumping phenomenon when the fork is raised. The plate | board thickness of the metal sheet 2 used in this test is about 1.6-2.6 mm, the left-right length is about 500-2000 mm, and the front-back length is about 500-1000 mm. The number of laminated metal sheets 2 is five. The acceleration P and the deceleration Q are displayed as indices when the gravitational acceleration is 1. ● The display shows the case where there was no jumping of the metal sheet, and the x display shows the case where there was a jumping of the metal sheet.

  As shown in FIG. 5, it has been clarified that the metal sheet jumping phenomenon does not occur if both the acceleration P and the deceleration Q when the fork portion is raised are set to half or less of the gravitational acceleration. On the other hand, it was also found that if the acceleration P and the deceleration Q when the fork part is raised are both half or more of the gravitational acceleration, a metal sheet jump phenomenon may occur although there is some variation. Since each metal sheet 2 has a thin plate thickness, the portion protruding from the fork body 4211 in the left-right direction is likely to bend up and down, and it is estimated that the jumping phenomenon due to the effect of the plate spring is likely to occur.

  Therefore, when a plurality of metal sheets having the above plate thickness and size are stacked and transported on the fork body 4211, the acceleration P and the deceleration Q when the fork portion is raised are both less than half of the gravitational acceleration. It has been found that it is preferable to prevent the metal sheet 2M from jumping and to carry it stably without causing misalignment or the like.

  It has also been found that in order to prevent the displacement of the metal sheet 2M when the fork portion 421 is retracted, the acceleration and deceleration should be less than or equal to a quarter of the gravitational acceleration. Therefore, the acceleration and deceleration when the fork portion 421 moves backward must be smaller than the acceleration P and deceleration Q when the fork portion is raised. When the fork portion 421 moves backward, it is estimated that there is an influence of the static friction coefficient between the laminated metal sheets (the static friction coefficient of iron: about 0.5), and it becomes even easier to slip.

<Details of loading device>
Next, a detailed configuration of the stacking device 5 constituting the metal sheet conveying / stacking device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 shows a side view of the loading apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a schematic explanatory diagram of the electromagnet shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a graph showing a method of exciting the electromagnet shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, the loading device 5 includes a holding portion 51, an arm portion 52 that supports the holding portion 51 and can be bent and turned, and a main body portion 53 that supports the arm portion 52 so as to be turnable. It is composed of multi-joint robots.
The holding unit 51 includes a plurality of electromagnets 511, a sheet discharging unit 512, a sheet detecting unit 513, and a holding plate 514. The holding plate 514 is fastened to the distal end shaft 521 of the arm unit 52 so as to be horizontally rotatable. Yes.

  The holding plate 514 is a substantially rectangular body, and an electromagnet 511 is attached to the lower end of the holding plate 514 so as to be horizontally movable. The sheet delivery unit 512 and the sheet detection unit 513 are mounted adjacent to the electromagnet 511 and move horizontally together with the electromagnet 511. The electromagnet 511 is fixed at a suitable position for attracting a plurality of stacked metal sheets 2M in a lump.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the electromagnet 511 is configured to be able to control the magnetic force. The electromagnet 511 collectively attracts a plurality of stacked metal sheets 2M on the temporary placement table 43 and conveys the metal sheet 2M to above the accumulation location 6S. Then, the electromagnet 511 lowers the magnetic force lower than that at the time of adsorption and conveyance. The electromagnet 511 is demagnetized at a position close to the metal sheet 2N stacked on the accumulation location 6S to release the metal sheet 2M. The released metal sheets 2M are aligned and stacked on the metal sheets 2N stacked at the collection location.

When transporting the metal sheet 2M in the horizontal direction, it is preferable to suck and transport the metal sheet with the maximum excitation voltage in order to prevent the metal sheet from slipping. On the other hand, when the sheet is conveyed in the vertical direction, the metal sheet does not skid. Therefore, the excitation voltage is reduced to demagnetize the magnetic sheet so that the amount of magnetic force transmitted is reduced to the bottom of the metal sheet 2M. Then, it is preferable to release the metal sheet 2M.
By this demagnetization control, the reverse excitation voltage for demagnetization can be completed in a short time, and the metal sheet 2M can be released early. Further, the demagnetization control can suppress the overshoot of the magnetic force, and can reduce the failure of releasing the metal sheet 2M, the trouble of attracting the metal sheet 2N at the stacking location 6S, and the like.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, since the sheet delivery unit 512 is mounted on the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5, when the metal sheets 2M are collectively held and stacked on the stacking place 6S, the sheet delivery unit is provided. When 512 presses the metal sheet 2M downward, the metal sheet 2M is forcibly separated from the electromagnet 511, and the release failure of the metal sheet 2M can be prevented. The sheet detection unit 513 outputs a signal when the metal sheet 2M is attracted to the electromagnet 511 or when the metal sheet 2M is separated from the electromagnet 511 to the control unit of the stacking device 5.

  Since the loading device 5 is composed of an articulated robot, the height of the metal sheet 2M inserted into the accumulation location 6S can be freely changed (see FIGS. 2 and 7). Therefore, the conventional pallet lifting mechanism provided at the stacking location can be eliminated. When the stacked metal sheets are taken out, the lifting mechanism does not move up and down, so that the time required for pallet replacement can be shortened.

  Moreover, since the stacking device 5 is composed of an articulated robot, the posture of the metal sheets 2M stacked on the stacking place 6S can be freely changed (see FIG. 1). Therefore, conventionally, the stacking device 5 can automatically perform operations in which the worker has moved the metal sheets loaded on the pallet to a desired posture.

<Details of pallet changer>
Next, a detailed configuration of the pallet exchanging device 6 constituting the metal sheet conveying / stacking device 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the pallet exchanging device 6 is equipped with two carriages 62 on which pallets 61 are mounted. The two carriages 62 are provided with separate drive devices 64, and can run and stop at different timings. Each driving device 64 has a servo motor and can also control the acceleration of each carriage 62. Here, the carriage 62 located at the accumulation place 6S is the actual entering carriage 621, and the carriage 62 located at the left pallet loading / unloading place 6T is the empty carriage 622.

  Next, a pallet exchanging method in the pallet exchanging apparatus 6 according to the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, first, before starting the actual trolley 621 located at the loading location 6S, the empty trolley 622 located at the left pallet loading / unloading location 6T is moved to a position close to the actual trolley 621, where Wait. Next, at the same time as loading of the metal sheet 2N on the pallet 61 of the actual cart 621, the actual cart 621 is started toward the right pallet loading / unloading location 6T.

  Next, the empty cart 622 is started after a predetermined time delay from the start of the actual cart 621. The actual carriage 621 and the empty carriage 622 are accelerated to the maximum speed with the same acceleration. After the full carriage 621 reaches the maximum speed, the empty carriage 622 reaches the maximum speed. During this time, the actual carriage 621 and the empty carriage 622 do not collide.

  Next, the actual trolley 621 that has reached the maximum speed decelerates over about 1.5 to 2 times the acceleration time to the right pallet loading / unloading location 6T, and the right pallet loading / unloading location 6T at a predetermined time. Arrive at and stop. On the other hand, the empty cart 622 that has reached the maximum speed decelerates in substantially the same time as the acceleration time, and arrives at the accumulation location 6S before the actual cart 621 arrives at the pallet input / extraction location 6T. Even during this time, the actual carriage 621 and the empty carriage 622 do not collide.

  Therefore, the actual cart 621 can prevent the metal sheet 2N that has been loaded from slipping by increasing the time required for deceleration, and can increase the loading time by increasing the arrival time of the empty cart 622 at the accumulation point 6S. The holding part 51 of the apparatus 5 was able to correspond to the time for transporting a plurality of metal sheets 2M laminated.

  As described above, before starting the movement of the actual trolley 621 located at the stacking location 6S to the pallet loading / unloading location 6T, the empty cart 622 loaded with the next pallet 61 is brought close to the actual trolley 621 at the stacking location 6S. The empty carriage 622 on which the next pallet 61 is mounted can be moved to the stacking location 6S before the actual carriage 621 at the stacking location 6S is moved to the pallet loading / unloading location 6T.

  As a result, the pallet switching time for switching to the next pallet 61 in the accumulation location 6S can be further shortened while preventing the metal sheet 2N from collapsing after completion of the stacking, and the production stoppage of the press machine 1 can be reduced.

<Operational relationship of the entire device>
Next, the operational relationship of the entire apparatus related to the metal sheet conveying / stacking apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 shows a time chart of the metal sheet conveying / stacking apparatus shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 9, after positioning (positioning) five (a plurality of) metal sheets 2 fed from the conveying device 3 by the centering device 4, the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 stacks the five sheets on the centering device. The metal sheets 2M thus positioned are collectively held and loaded on the pallet 61 mounted on the actual trolley 621 at the stacking location 6S, and the loaded actual trolley 621 is moved to the pallet loading / unloading location 6T, It is a time chart figure of operation which conveys empty cart 622 carrying the next pallet 61 to accumulation location 6S, and completes pallet exchange.

  The horizontal axis in FIG. 9 represents the time axis. The numbers on the upper side of the horizontal axis indicate the metal sheets 2 to be cut by the press 1 every 5 sheets. T1 is a loading time for the conveying device 3 to put five metal sheets 2 into the centering device 4. T2 is a positioning / stacking operation in which the metal sheet 2M stacked by the fork 421 is moved to the temporary table 43 after the metal sheet 2 is positioned / stacked by the front gauge unit 411 or the like and then returned to the standby position (A).・ It is travel time. T3 is a loading time in which five metal sheets 2M stacked by the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 are collectively sucked and loaded onto the pallet 61 on the actual carriage 621 at the stacking location 6S and then returned to the standby position. is there. T4 is a pallet switching time for switching to the empty cart 622 on which the next pallet 61 is mounted by moving the actual carriage 621 after completion of loading.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the front gauge unit 411 and the side gauge unit 413 of the centering device 4 repeat forward and backward movement in response to a signal for turning on the detector 31 of the transport device 3. When the detector 31 detects the fifth metal sheet (5), the fork part 421 moves from the standby position (A) to the raised position (B) substantially simultaneously with the front gauge part 411 and the side gauge part 413 moving forward. . The five laminated metal sheets 2M are placed on the fork portion 421, are positioned and regulated by the front gauge portion 411, the side gauge portion 413, and the like, and move to the raised position (B). The fork portion 421 that has moved to the raised position (B) moves horizontally to the retracted position (C) with the metal sheet 2M placed thereon.

  The fork 421 that has moved to the retracted position (C) descends to the lowered position (D). In the middle of the fork portion 421 descending (after the delay time d1), the five metal sheets 2M stacked are transferred to the temporary placement table 43. The empty fork 421 moves forward and returns to the standby position (A). While the fork part 421 is moving, the front gauge part 411 and the side gauge part 413 repeat forward and backward (stamping) to stack and position the metal sheets 2. Here, as is apparent from FIG. 9, the charging time T1 and the positioning / stacking / moving time T2 are substantially the same.

  Next, the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 receives a signal from the detection plate 431 of the temporary placement table 43 and moves from the standby position to the suction position. The holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 stops for a while at the suction position, reliably moves the metal sheets 2M stacked on the temporary placement table 43, moves to the suction upper position, and then releases to the release upper position. Move to. The holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 is demagnetized at the release upper position and descends to the release position close to the accumulation location 6S. The holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 is demagnetized at the release position, and then the sheet discharging unit 512 is moved forward and backward to forcibly separate the metal sheets 2M. Thereafter, the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 moves to the release upper position, and further moves to the standby position and stops. Here, as is apparent from FIG. 9, the loading time T3 is shorter than the positioning / stacking / moving time T2.

  Next, when the required amount of the metal sheets 2N stacked at the stacking place 6S is reached and the stacking is completed, the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 moves to the open sky position after releasing the metal sheets 2M. Can be moved to the pallet loading / unloading point 6T. Accordingly, in response to a signal (for example, a position signal of the arm unit) that has moved to the release above-and-disengagement position of the holding unit 51 of the loading device 5, the actual carriage 621 is started toward the pallet loading / unloading location 6T after the delay time d2.

  Since the empty cart 622 on which the next pallet 61 is mounted is moved to a position close to the actual cart 621 in advance, it is started after a delay time d3 from the start of the actual cart 621. Since the empty carriage 622 is not concerned about the collapse of the metal sheet 2N, etc., as described above, the traveling time is approximately the same as the acceleration time and the deceleration time, and before the actual carriage 621 arrives at the pallet input / extraction point 6T, Arrives at the accumulation point 6S. Pallet switching is completed when the empty cart 622 carrying the next pallet 61 arrives at the accumulation point 6S. Here, as is apparent from FIG. 9, the pallet switching time T4 is shorter than the loading time T3.

  According to the time chart shown in FIG. 9 described above, there is a relationship of charging time T1≈positioning / stacking / moving time T2> loading time T3> pallet switching time T4. Accordingly, after the metal sheet 2 continuously cut by the press 1 is positioned by the centering device 3 by laminating a plurality (five), the metal sheets 2M that are laminated on the centering device 4 are laminated. The holding unit 51 of the apparatus 5 collectively holds and stacks on the stacking place 6S, whereby the metal sheets 2N that have been stacked at the stacking place 6S can be continuously taken out.

  As a result, without stopping the production of the press 1, the cut metal sheets 2 can be continuously stacked on the stacking place 6S and the stacked metal sheets 2M can be taken out at the stacking place 6S. .

<Effect>
As described above in detail, according to the metal sheet conveyance / stacking device 10 according to the present embodiment, the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 is positioned after the centering device 4 stacks the metal sheets 2 and positions them. Since a plurality of laminated metal sheets 2M on the centering device 4 are collectively held and loaded on the accumulation location 6S, production stoppage of the press 1 in the blanking press line 20 can be reduced.

  That is, the time for the centering device 4 to position the metal sheets 2 conveyed by the conveying device 3 one by one is shorter than the time for taking out the metal sheets 2N stacked on the accumulation location 6S from the accumulation location 6S. After the centering device 4 stacks and positions the plurality of metal sheets 2 conveyed by the center, the plurality of stacked metal sheets 2M are collectively stacked on the stacking location 6S, so that the stacking location 6S has a predetermined time. Since the metal sheets 2M are stacked every time, it is possible to secure a time for taking out the metal sheets 2N that have been stacked in the stacking location 6S from the stacking location 6S.

  As a result, the metal sheet 2 continuously cut by the press machine 1 is positioned by the centering device 4 being stacked, and then the plurality of metal sheets 2M stacked on the centering device 4 are By holding the holding unit 51 in a lump and stacking it on the stacking place 6S, the metal sheets 2N loaded at the stacking place 6S can be taken out continuously. That is, without stopping the production of the press 1, the cut metal sheets 1 can be stacked on the stacking place 6S, and the metal sheets 2N that have been stacked at the stacking place 6S can be taken out continuously.

  In addition, since the metal sheets 2N that have been stacked at the accumulation location 6S can be taken out within the predetermined time, it is not necessary to add the accumulation locations 6S to a plurality of locations.

  Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide the metal sheet conveyance / stacking device 10 that can reduce production stoppage of the press 1 in the blanking press line 20 while reducing the size of the equipment.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the centering device 4 includes a positioning unit 41 that stacks and positions a plurality of metal sheets 2, and a plurality of stacked metals that the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 holds collectively. Since the moving unit 42 that moves the sheet 2M from the positioning unit 41 to the downstream side of the line is provided, the moving distance that the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 reciprocates between the centering device 4 and the stacking location 6S can be shortened. it can. For this reason, the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 collectively holds the metal sheets 2M stacked by the centering device 4 and slows down the moving speed of moving the metal sheets 2S to the stacking location 6S. Misalignment and the like can be suppressed. As a result, the production stoppage of the press machine 1 can be reduced while improving the holding stability of the stacking device 5 during the movement of the metal sheets 2M stacked in a plurality of sheets.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the positioning portion 41 includes a horizontally movable front gauge portion 411 (line upstream side), a rear gauge portion 412 (line downstream side), and a side gauge portion 413 (line left and right sides). Since the front gauge part 411 and the side gauge part 413 are provided with stamping mechanisms 4113 and 4133 for pressing the outer edge part 21 of the metal sheet 2 in the horizontal direction, each time the metal sheet 2 is stacked in the positioning part 41, the stamping mechanism When 4113 and 4133 press the outer edge portion 21 of the metal sheet 2 in the horizontal direction, a plurality of stacked metal sheets 2M can be reliably aligned in the vertical direction.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, the moving part 42 includes the fork part 421 formed in a horizontal shape so as to be cantilevered by the support part 422 arranged on the downstream side of the line, and the fork part 421 includes: Since the metal sheets 2M, which are positioned by the positioning portion 41 and stacked in a plurality of layers, are scooped upward from the lower side and moved to the downstream side of the line, as soon as the fork portion 421 moves from the lower side to the upper side of the positioning portion 41, the conveying device 3 The metal sheet 2 transported from the sheet can be fed into the empty positioning unit 41, and the metal sheet 2 cut by the press 1 can be continuously fed from the transport device 3 into the positioning unit 41.

  That is, since the support part 422 of the fork part 421 is arranged on the downstream side of the line, if the fork part 421 moves upward from the front gauge part 411 or the like in the positioning part 41, the metal sheet 2 conveyed by the conveying device 3 is used. Can be put into the positioning part 41 without being obstructed by the fork part 421. Therefore, the metal sheet 2 cut at a desired production speed by the press 1 can be continuously fed from the conveying device 3 to the positioning unit 41 simply by moving the fork unit 421 from the lower side to the upper side of the positioning unit 41. it can. As a result, the production stop of the press machine 1 can be reduced while improving the production speed in the blanking press line 20.

  Further, the fork portion 421 includes a plurality of fork bodies 4211 that draw the same trajectory and move up and down and move forward and backward. The fork bodies 4211 are formed so that the number of used forks 4211 can be selected according to the shape of the metal sheet 2. Therefore, interference between the side gauge portion 413 and the like in the positioning portion 41 and the fork body 4211 can be easily avoided while simplifying the drive mechanism of the fork portion 421.

  Further, since the acceleration and deceleration (negative acceleration with respect to the traveling direction) when the fork portion 421 is raised and retracted (moved to the downstream side of the line) are controlled, the jumping or displacement of the metal sheet 2 can be reduced. Can do.

  According to the present embodiment, the centering device 4 includes the temporary placement table 43 that temporarily places the metal sheet 2M in which a plurality of moving portions 41 are stacked on the downstream side of the line. Immediately after temporarily placing the metal sheets 2M on the temporary placement table 43, the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 collectively holds the metal sheets 2M that are temporarily placed on the temporary placement table 43 and stacked in a plurality of positions. Can be loaded. Therefore, the loading time T3 can include the time for the moving unit 42 to return from the temporary placement table 43 to the standby position (A). Therefore, the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 can transport the stacked metal sheets 2M to the stacking place 6S at a lower speed. As a result, the production stoppage of the press machine 1 can be reduced while further improving the holding stability of the loading device 5.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 includes the electromagnet 511 capable of controlling the magnetic force, and the stacking device 5 collectively collects the metal sheets 2M stacked by the electromagnet 511. After attracting and transporting to the upper part of the stacking place 6S, the magnetic force is lowered from the time of attracting and transporting and the holding unit 51 is lowered, so that the stacking device 5 is a powerful unit adapted to the thickness, weight, etc. of the metal sheet 2 By generating a strong magnetic force in the electromagnet 511, it is possible to prevent the metal sheet 2 from slipping or dropping when being conveyed from the centering device 4 to above the stacking point 6S, and thereafter reducing the magnetic force of the electromagnet 511. Therefore, it is possible to avoid suction of the metal sheets 2N and the like stacked on the accumulation location 6S. As a result, it is possible to reduce production stoppage of the press 1 while further improving the holding stability and the conveyance speed of the stacking device 5.

  In addition, since the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 is provided with the sheet discharge unit 512 that presses the metal sheet 2M downward, the holding unit 51 of the stacking device 5 loads the metal sheet 2M on the stacking place 6S. When the sheet discharging unit 512 presses the metal sheet 2M downward, the metal sheet 2M is forcibly separated from the electromagnet 511, and the reliability when the metal sheet 2M is stacked on the stacking location 6S can be improved.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, the pallet exchanging device 6 having a plurality of pallets 61 and a plurality of carts 62 that are mounted with the pallets 61 and move between the accumulation place 6S and the pallet loading / unloading place 6T is provided. Since the empty carriage 622 on which the next pallet 61 is mounted is brought close to the actual carriage 621 at the accumulation location 6S before the actual entry cart 621 located at the accumulation location 6S starts to move to the pallet loading / unloading location 6T. Before the actual carriage 621 is moved to the pallet loading / unloading location 6T, the empty cart 622 on which the next pallet 61 is mounted can be moved to the accumulation location 6S. As a result, the pallet switching time T4 for switching to the next pallet 61 at the stacking location 6S can be further shortened while preventing the metal sheet 2N from collapsing after the loading is completed, and the production stoppage of the press machine 1 can be reduced. .

<Modification>
It goes without saying that the present embodiment can be changed into various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in this embodiment, the temporary placing table 43 is provided on the downstream side of the line of the centering device 4, but the metal sheet 2M placed on the fork portion 421 is held by the stacking device 5 without providing the temporary placing table. The part 51 may be directly held and transported to the accumulation location 6S. In this case, it is because the apparatus can be simplified by eliminating the temporary placing table 43.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used as a metal sheet conveying / stacking device that conveys a metal sheet cut by a blanking press line and loads the metal sheet on a stacking location.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Press machine 2, 2M, 2N Metal sheet 3 Conveying device 4 Centering device 5 Stacking device 6 Pallet changer 6S Stacking location 6T Pallet loading / unloading location 10 Metal sheet conveyance / stacking device 41 Positioning unit 42 Moving unit 43 Temporary placing table 51 Holding part 61 Pallet 62 Carriage 421 Fork part 422 Supporting part 511 Electromagnet 621 Actual car 622 Empty car

Claims (5)

A conveying device that conveys a metal sheet cut by a press in a blanking press line to the downstream side of the line, a centering device that positions the metal sheet conveyed by the conveying device, and the metal sheet positioned by the centering device. A metal sheet transporting and stacking device comprising a stacking device that is held by a holding unit and is loaded on a stacking location that is located downstream of the centering device and is located on the downstream side of the line ,
The holding unit of the stacking device holds the plurality of metal sheets stacked on the centering device in a lump after the centering device stacks and positions the plurality of metal sheets, and stacks them on the stacking location. ,as well as,
The holding unit of the loading device includes an electromagnet capable of controlling magnetic force,
The stacking device collectively attracts the plurality of metal sheets stacked by the electromagnet and conveys them to above the accumulation location, and then lowers the holding unit by lowering the magnetic force from when attracting and transporting. transport and stacking apparatus of the metal sheet, characterized in that. In the metal sheet conveying / stacking device according to claim 1,
The centering device includes a positioning unit that stacks and positions a plurality of the metal sheets, and the stacking metal sheets that are collectively held by the holding unit of the stacking device from the positioning unit to the downstream side of the line. A metal sheet conveying / stacking device comprising a moving unit for moving the metal sheet. In the metal sheet conveying / stacking apparatus according to claim 2,
The moving part includes a fork part that is horizontally formed so as to be cantilevered by a support part arranged on the downstream side of the line, and the fork part is positioned by the positioning part and stacked in a plurality of layers. A metal sheet conveying / stacking device, wherein a sheet is scooped up from below and moved to the downstream side of the line. In the metal sheet conveyance / stacking apparatus according to claim 2 or 3,
The metal sheet transporting / stacking device, wherein the centering device includes a temporary placing table on which the moving unit temporarily places the stacked metal sheets on the downstream side of the line. In the metal sheet conveyance / stacking apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
A pallet exchanging device having a plurality of pallets and a plurality of carts that are mounted with the pallets and move between the stacking location and the pallet loading / unloading location; An apparatus for transporting and stacking metal sheets, wherein an empty carriage loaded with a next pallet is brought close to an actual carriage at the accumulation place before starting to move to the place.

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