JP6978663B2 - Work transfer device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a work transfer device for transporting a work by generating a traveling wave, and more particularly to a work transfer device capable of efficiently and stably transporting a work in a spiral transport truck.

In a parts feeder for transporting a work such as an electronic component, there is a technique for transporting the work by using a traveling wave generated by elastically deforming a transport truck (for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, the frequency of the driving unit is set as an ultrasonic region, and each mass point on a ring-shaped or disc-shaped vibrating body (conveying surface) moves so as to draw an elliptical orbit on the surface of the vibrating body. A parts feeder that generates a traveling wave to convey a work and has a plurality of slits on the half circumference of a vibrating surface is disclosed.

By providing a plurality of slits in this way, the distance from the neutral axis of the vibrating body to the vibrating surface becomes larger than in the case where the slits are not provided, and the horizontal amplitude of the elliptical vibration in the transport truck becomes larger, so that the transport speed of the work is increased. Can be raised. It should be noted that Patent Document 1 only describes that a notch is made in the diameter direction with a metal saw on the half circumference of the vibrating surface, and the content of how to specifically provide a notch (slit) in the transport truck is disclosed. Not.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-127655

The applicant has applied to a bowl feeder in which a spiral transport truck is formed inside an inverted conical feeder body that gradually expands from the inner peripheral portion to the outer peripheral portion, based on Patent Document 1, the diameter of the bowl. We have found that there is a new problem that cannot be solved by the direction, that is, the configuration in which the slit is provided so as to simply pass through the center of the feeder body.

First, there are cases where the transport direction of the work and the direction of the transport force acting on the work do not match, and efficient transport cannot be performed. The direction of the carrier force acting on the work described here refers to the direction of the horizontal amplitude of the elliptical vibration that generates the traveling wave.

For example, when a slit is provided in a linear transport truck as in JP-A-2017-043431, the direction of the horizontal amplitude of the elliptical vibration coincides with the transport direction of the work, so that the work can be efficiently transported.

However, even if a slit passing through the center of the feeder body is provided for the bowl feeder having the spiral transfer track as described above, the transfer track is spiral and the inside of the feeder body is from the inner peripheral portion to the outer peripheral portion. Since the work gradually spreads toward the direction, the direction of the horizontal amplitude of the elliptical vibration does not match the direction in which the work is conveyed, and the work cannot be conveyed efficiently.

Secondly, the force of falling into the feeder body acts on the work as if it falls off the transport truck, which causes a decrease in transport efficiency.

For example, in the bowl feeder B as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, since the central portion 41 of the feeder main body 4 is fixed and the transport portion 1 is flexed and vibrated, the inner circumference from the outer peripheral side of the feeder main body 4 is increased. A radial force F1 toward the side acts on the work W. Due to this action, the work W derails from the top of the transport truck 11 and easily falls off to the inner peripheral side of the feeder main body 4.

Further, since the bowl feeder B described above fixes the central portion 41 of the feeder main body 4, as shown in FIG. 14B, the amplitude of the traveling wave on the outer peripheral side of the inner peripheral side of the feeder main body 4 becomes larger. This difference in amplitude also tends to cause the work W to come off the transport truck 11 and fall off to the inner peripheral side of the feeder main body 4.

Further, as shown in FIG. 15, a part of the transport truck 11 formed inside the feeder main body 4, specifically, the inner 111 and the outer 112 of the transport truck 11 also have the same amplitude difference as described above. The "inside 111 and outside 112 of the transport truck 11" described here are "the inside 111 of the transport truck 11" on the side close to the center 41 of the feeder body 4, and the side radially away from the center of the feeder body 4. "Outside 112 of the transport truck 11".

Further, in FIG. 15, the work W is conveyed on the transfer truck 11 from the front side to the back side of the paper surface. As shown in FIG. 15, reaction forces N1 and N2 are generated from the transport surface 12 on the work W according to the amplitude A1 of the inner 111 of the transport truck 11 and the amplitude A2 of the outer 112. Due to the difference between the reaction forces N1 and N2, the force F1'from the outer side 112 to the inner side 111 of the transport truck 11 acts on the work W, so that the work W disengages from the transport truck 11 and falls off to the inner peripheral side of the feeder body 4. Can happen.

As an example, the bowl feeder B described above shows an embodiment in which the central portion 41 of the feeder main body 4 is fixed. However, for example, even when the outer peripheral side of the feeder main body 4 is fixed, the inner 111 and the outer 112 of the transport truck 4 are fixed. A similar problem arises only by changing the magnitude relationship of the amplitude.

As shown in FIG. 16, when a slit 3 is provided in the diameter direction of the feeder main body 4 so as to pass through the center C1 of the feeder main body 4 with respect to such a bowl feeder B, a horizontal component of elliptical vibration acting on the work W is provided. Since the direction of the force F is toward the inner peripheral portion of the feeder main body 4, in addition to the above-mentioned action, a force that disengages from the transport truck 11 and falls off to the inner peripheral side of the feeder main body 4 acts on the work W. It's easy to do.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and provides a conventional transfer device capable of efficiently transporting a work in a bowl feeder having a spiral transport truck. It is an object.

In order to achieve the above object, the work transfer device of the present invention intersects the transfer section having the elastically deformable transfer track, the traveling wave generating means for generating the traveling wave in the transfer section, and the transfer track. It is a work transfer device provided with a slit to be formed and transports a work on a transport truck by a traveling wave generated by a traveling wave generating means, and the transport portion is provided in an inverted conical bowl-shaped feeder main body. The transport truck formed inside the bowl-shaped feeder body is spiral, has a starting point of the spiral locus on the circumference, forms a virtual circle inside the transport truck, and the slit is in contact with the virtual circle. It is characterized by being formed in.

With such a configuration, the forming direction of the slit intersecting with the spiral transport truck can be set to a desired direction according to the transport state, which is effective in improving the transport efficiency.

In the above case, it is desirable that the slit is formed so that the forming direction of the slit and the transporting direction of the work are orthogonal to each other.

With such a configuration, the direction of the horizontal component of the elliptical vibration coincides with the transport direction of the work, so that the effect of sufficiently increasing the transport speed of the work can be obtained.

Further, it is desirable that the transport truck is formed so that the transport direction of the work faces the inner peripheral side of the transport track rather than the orthogonal direction of the slit.

With such a configuration, when an amplitude difference or a speed difference occurs between the inside and the outside of the transport truck, the elliptically vibration toward the outside of the transport truck is horizontal with respect to the force falling inside the transport truck acting on the work. Since the frictional force due to the amplitude acts, it is possible to solve the problem that the work falls off the transport truck.

In the above case, it is desirable that a plurality of slits are formed at equal intervals along the transport direction of the work, and the angles formed by the transport track and the slits are the same as each other.

With such a configuration, an imbalance in the transfer speed of the work is suppressed at each portion on the transfer track provided with a plurality of slits, so that stable transfer of the work is realized.

According to the present invention described above, it is possible to efficiently transport the work, and further, it is possible to provide a transport device that prevents the work from derailing from the transport truck.

The perspective view which shows the bowl feeder which is the work transfer apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a partially broken bowl feeder shown in FIG. Schematic diagram of the transport section provided in the bowl feeder. The figure which shows the structure of the piezoelectric element for generating a traveling wave in the transport part. The figure for demonstrating the state which the traveling wave is generated in the transport part which does not have a slit. The figure for demonstrating the state which the traveling wave is generated in the transport part which does not have a slit. The figure for demonstrating the relationship between a neutral shaft and a transport surface in the same embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the state in which a traveling wave is generated in the transport part provided with a slit. A plan view showing the relationship in which the slit formation direction is orthogonal to the spiral track. The figure for demonstrating the relationship between the force acting toward the inside of a spiral track and the frictional force due to the horizontal component of elliptical vibration when there is an amplitude difference between the inside and the outside of the spiral track. The figure for demonstrating the state which the slits are evenly spaced with respect to a spiral track. The figure for demonstrating the force toward the outside of a spiral track acting on a work when the centrifugal force acting on a work becomes large. The figure which shows the modification of the slit of this invention. The figure which shows the structure of the conventional bowl feeder. (A) perspective view, (b) AA cross section Partially enlarged view of FIG. Partially enlarged view for explaining the relationship between the conventional slit and the transport truck.

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

As shown in FIG. 1, the work transfer device X according to the present embodiment has a bowl feeder B that transfers a work W such as an electronic component to a predetermined transfer destination while moving it by vibration on a transfer truck 11, and the bowl feeder. It is composed of a linear feeder L that is arranged close to B and is delivered with a work W that is spirally climbed and transported by a bowl feeder B. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the bowl feeder B in the work transport device X according to the present embodiment generates a traveling wave in the feeder main body 4 capable of accommodating the work W and the transport portion 1 of the feeder main body 4. It is configured to include the traveling wave generating means 2. The transport unit 1 is composed of an elastic member that generates a traveling wave of deflection, and as shown in FIG. 14 and the like, the traveling wave generating means 2 causes the transport unit 1 to be deformed by the driving means 5 using the piezoelectric element 51. ..

As shown in FIG. 2, the feeder main body 4 has a flat central portion 41, a conical portion 42 that inclines downward from the central portion toward the outer circumference, and an ascending slope from the outer peripheral side of the conical portion 42 toward the outer circumference. An inverted conical portion 43 inclined at It is provided integrally with the same position, and the central part is fixed to the pedestal 49 which is the support base by the fastener 48 via the presser plate 47, and the part other than the central part is provided so as to float from the ground contact surface 6. Has been done. The feeder main body 4 is made of a member having elasticity enough to generate at least two or more vertical deflection waves around the center line m.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a spiral truck 11 which is a form of the transport truck 11 is formed in the transport unit 1. In this spiral track 11, one end 11a is connected to the outer periphery of the work pool portion 44, and the feeder spirally circulates from there one or more times to extend to the other end 11b and is connected to the outlet 11z provided at the outer edge portion 45. It is configured by denting a groove on the surface of the main body 4. The exit 11z is inclined so that the work W slides down.

As shown in FIG. 3, the driving means 5 using the piezoelectric element 51 constituting the traveling wave generating means 2 has a bottom surface of a portion extending from the inverted conical portion 43 to the outer edge portion 45 on which the spiral track 11 shown in FIG. 2 is formed. It is attached to 46. The drive means 5 expands and contracts in the circumferential direction of the center line m so as to substantially follow the spiral track 11 to cause the transport portion 1 to bend. As shown in FIG. 4, the plurality of driving means 5 are attached to the positions of the antinodes of the vibration mode by alternately changing the polarities at 1/2 wavelength intervals. Further, the drive means 5 is an abbreviation for the feeder main body 4 in the area to be vibrated in order to efficiently vibrate in two deflection standing wave modes in which the phases of the waves are spatially deviated by 90 ° while keeping the same frequency. The half circumference is the first vibration region A, the remaining half circumference is the second vibration region B, and the driving means 5 is provided in the first vibration region A and the second vibration region B for 3/4 wavelength of the wavelength of the traveling wave. Just paste it with the spatial phase shifted. At the same time, AC signals having different phases of 90 ° generated by the two-phase AC signal transmitting unit 21 are transmitted to the first vibration region A and the second vibration region B via the first amplifier 22a and the second amplifier 22b. It is applied to each drive means 5.

Further, in the two-phase AC signal transmitting unit 21 shown in FIG. 4, the frequency of the waveform selected by the waveform selection unit 21a is adjusted by the vibration frequency adjusting means 21b, and after the amplitude is adjusted by the first amplitude adjusting means 21c, the first amplitude is adjusted. The phase is adjusted by the electric phase adjusting means 21d and then input to the second amplifier 22b after adjusting the amplitude of the second amplitude adjusting means 21e. A standing wave simply vibrates up and down on the spot when it resonates.

When the transport unit 1 is subjected to a sinusoidal vibration of an ultrasonic wave whose phase is shifted by 90 ° in time along the circumferential direction by such a driving means 5, the transport portion 1 is spatially and temporally shifted by 90 °. The two standing waves are superposed, the transport unit 1 itself resonates and elastically deforms, and the deflection vibration becomes a traveling wave. At one point Z of the transport unit 1 where the traveling wave is generated, elliptical vibration occurs from the starting point t = 0 to t = 3/4 T as shown in FIG. Further, due to the traveling wave generated in the transport unit 1, a force acts on the work W at one point Z at the apex of the wave, and a frictional force e is generated between the work W and the transport unit 1 as shown in FIG. Then, due to the propulsive force of the horizontal component (horizontal amplitude) of the elliptical vibration, the work W is conveyed in the direction opposite to the direction in which the traveling wave travels (arrow d in FIG. 6) (arrow c in FIG. 6). The traveling wave of such a deflection wave circulates in the transport unit 1, so that the work W climbs the spiral track 11.

Since the transport unit 1 is flexed and vibrated in this way, even if the central portion of the feeder main body 4 is fixed as described above, the traveling wave can be obtained without affecting the flexure vibration mode of the transport unit 1. By inverting the phase difference of the sine wave given to the driving means 5 between the first vibration region A and the second vibration region B (time phase is inverted (−90 °)), the work is performed in the opposite direction. W can be conveyed, which is effective when there is a situation in which the work W is desired to be conveyed from the outer edge portion 45 toward the work collecting portion 44. The configuration for generating the traveling wave is not limited to the above, and the traveling wave may be generated by the vibration method at both ends, which is a conventionally known technique.

When the work W is transported by the traveling wave generated as described above, it is desirable to increase the horizontal component while suppressing the vertical component of the elliptical vibration (see FIG. 5) generated in the transport unit 1. As described above, the smaller the vertical component of the elliptical vibration, the more the jumping of the work W is suppressed, and the larger the horizontal component of the elliptical vibration, the higher the transport speed of the work W, so that the supply efficiency of the work W is improved. That is, the speed and the degree of jumping of the work W are determined by whether the horizontal amplitude / vertical amplitude ratio of the elliptical vibration is large or small.

Therefore, in order to increase the horizontal amplitude while suppressing the vertical amplitude, it is considered to increase the distance E from the neutral axis N of the transport unit 1 shown in FIG. 7 to the transport surface 12 which is the surface of the transport unit 1. The neutral axis N is basically located at the center of the thickness, but as shown in FIG. 7, when the slit 3 is inserted, the neutral axis N is located below, so that the distance E from the neutral axis N to the transport surface 12 is set. It can be made larger.

FIG. 8 shows the behavior of the traveling wave when the slit 3 is provided. As shown in FIG. 8, when the slit 3 is not formed on the work transport surface 12, the neutral axis N is located at the center of the transport portion 1 in the thickness direction, but as shown in FIG. 7, the slit is formed in the work transport surface 12. Since the neutral axis N is lowered by the formation of 3, the horizontal component (horizontal amplitude) generated on the work transport surface 12 due to the traveling wave becomes larger than the vertical component, and the work W is suppressed while suppressing the jump of the work W. The horizontal propulsion force applied to the vehicle, and thus the speed, increases.

However, in the configuration in which the slit 3 is simply provided in the diameter direction of the bowl with respect to the bowl feeder B having the spiral track 11, there are the first and second problems as described above.

Therefore, as a means for solving the first problem, as shown in FIG. 9, the slit 3 of the present embodiment has a virtual circle C'with the starting point of the spiral locus of the spiral track 11 on the circumference inside the spiral track 11. It is formed so that the slit 3 is in contact with the virtual circle C', that is, is tangent to the virtual circle C'.

As shown in FIG. 9, the virtual circle C'described here is formed so that the center of the circle having the radius a coincides with the center of the feeder main body 4. A spiral track 11 is formed in the transport unit 1 with one point on the circumference of the virtual circle C'as the starting point of the spiral locus.

As described above, the bowl feeder B according to the present embodiment has an inverted conical shape from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheral side, in other words, the inside of the mortar-shaped feeder main body 4 whose diameter changes toward the outer peripheral side. The spiral track 11 is formed so as to draw a spiral trajectory. In order to efficiently convey the work W on the spiral track 11, it is desirable that the formation direction of the slit 3 can be set in a desired direction according to the conveying state of the work W and the spiral locus of the spiral track 11.

For example, by matching the horizontal component F of the elliptical vibration that generates the traveling wave with the transport direction D of the work W, the transport force can be exerted on the work W to the maximum extent. The "horizontal component F of elliptical vibration" described here acts most in the direction orthogonal to the forming direction of the slit 3. Therefore, by forming the slit 3 so that the transport direction D of the work W and the formation direction of the slit 3 are orthogonal to each other, the work W can be efficiently transported.

However, as shown in FIG. 16, when the slit 3 is formed in the diameter direction of the feeder main body 4 so as to simply pass through the center C1 of the feeder main body 4, the transport direction D of the work W and the formation direction of the slit 3 are orthogonal to each other. It may not be. The orthogonal direction of the slit 3 formed in the diameter direction of the feeder main body 4 is the tangential direction of the circle C centered on the center of the feeder main body 4. Therefore, the work W can be efficiently conveyed by matching the locus of the circle C with the spiral locus of the transport truck 11, but the diameter of the spiral locus of the spiral truck 11 changes toward the outer peripheral side, so that the circle C Does not match the trajectory of. That is, the problem cannot be solved by forming the slit 3 as described above.

As shown in FIG. 9, in the slit 3 according to the present embodiment, the slit 3 is formed so as to be tangent to the circle C'centered on the center C1 of the feeder main body 4. Therefore, the direction of the spiral track 11, that is, the transport direction D of the work and the forming direction of the slit 3 can be set to be orthogonal to each other according to the spiral trajectory of the spiral track 11. With such a configuration, the transport direction D of the work W and the direction of the transport force acting on the work W match, so that efficient transport is realized.

Next, as a means for solving the second problem, the spiral track 11 is formed so that the transport direction D of the work W faces the inner peripheral side of the spiral track 11 rather than the orthogonal direction of the slit 3.

As described above, since the force F2 that drops into the feeder main body 4 acts on the work W that is conveyed on the spiral truck 11, the transfer efficiency is likely to decrease. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, the direction of the resultant force F'of the force rotational force F2 acting on the work W and the force F in the direction orthogonal to the forming direction of the slit 3 coincides with the transport direction D of the work W. As such, a slit 3 that is a tangent to the virtual circle C'is formed. In other words, the spiral track 11 is formed so that the transport direction D of the work W faces the inner peripheral side of the spiral track 11 rather than the direction orthogonal to the forming direction of the slit 3.

With this configuration, the force F in the direction orthogonal to the forming direction of the slit 3 acts so as to suppress the force F2 that falls into the feeder main body 4, so that the force F2 that falls into the feeder main body 4 acts on the work W. Even when it works, efficient transportation is realized.

Further, as shown in FIG. 11, a plurality of slits 3 according to the present embodiment are formed at equal intervals along the transport direction D of the work W, and the angles formed by the spiral track 11 and the slits 3 are the same. It is composed of.

As described above, in the configuration in which the spiral track 11 is provided with the plurality of slits 3 in the radial direction of the feeder main body 4, the angles formed by the spiral track 11 and the plurality of slits 3 are different from each other. Since the transport speed of the work W varies (imbalance in transport speed) depending on the transport position on the spiral track 11, there is a possibility that the desired transport using the traveling wave cannot be realized.

However, in the present embodiment, the mechanical symmetry of the transport unit 1 is maintained by making the plurality of slits 3 all tangent to the same virtual circle C'and making the intervals of the plurality of slits 3 equal. (Has symmetry). As a result, stable transport of the work W is realized without affecting the generation of the traveling wave, and as a result, the transport efficiency of the work W is improved.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

For example, depending on the transport speed of the work W, the work W may easily derail from the spiral track 11 for a reason different from the second problem. As shown in FIG. 12, when the transport speed of the work W transported on the spiral track 11 increases, the centrifugal force F3 acting on the work W increases accordingly, so that the force toward the outer peripheral side of the feeder main body 4 increases. F4 acts on the work W, making it easier to derail from the spiral track 11.

In such a case, as shown in FIG. 13, it is desirable to form the spiral track 11 so that the transport direction D of the work W faces the outer peripheral side of the spiral track 11 rather than the orthogonal direction of the slit 3. That is, a force F in a direction orthogonal to the formation direction of the slit 3 as described above is applied to the work W so as to suppress the centrifugal force F3 acting outward in the radial direction of the spiral track 11. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 12, the direction of the resultant force F'' between the centrifugal force F3 acting on the work W and the force F in the direction orthogonal to the forming direction of the slit 3 is the transport direction D of the work W. A slit 3 that is a tangent to the virtual circle C'is formed so as to match.

With this configuration, the frictional force F toward the inner peripheral side of the spiral track 11 acts on the work W, so that the problem that the work W tends to derail from the spiral track 11 can be solved.

Further, the size of the virtual circle C'can be appropriately set according to the transport state of the work W transported on the spiral truck 11.

Further, in the above embodiment, the slit 3 is formed so as to satisfy a predetermined relationship (angle, spacing, etc.) with respect to the spiral track 11, but conversely, the slit 3 is formed so as to satisfy this predetermined relationship. The spiral track 11 may be formed with respect to the spiral track 11.

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

1 Transport unit 2 Traveling wave generating means 3 Slit 4 Feeder body 5 Drive means 11 Transport truck (spiral truck)
12 Conveying surface 41 Central part 51 Piezoelectric element 111 Inside of transport track 112 Outside of transport track C'Virtual circle F Friction force acting in the direction orthogonal to the formation direction of the slit F'The resultant force F of friction force F and rotational force F''The resultant force of friction force F and centrifugal force F3 F1 Force acting from the outer peripheral side to the inner peripheral side of the feeder body F1' Force from the outside to the inside of the transport truck F2 Force generated by the amplitude difference A1 Vibration inside the transport truck A2 Outside the transport truck Aperture N1 Reaction force inside the transport track N2 Reaction force outside the transport track D Transport direction of the work
W Work X Work transfer device X

Claims (4)

The traveling wave generating means includes a transporting portion having an elastically deformable transporting truck, a traveling wave generating means for generating a traveling wave in the transporting portion, and a slit formed so as to intersect the transporting truck. A work transfer device that conveys the work W on the transfer track by the generated traveling wave. The transfer unit is provided on an inverted conical feeder body, and the transfer track formed inside the feeder body is A work transport device characterized in that a virtual circle having a spiral shape and having a starting point of the spiral locus on the circumference is formed inside the transport truck, and the slit is formed so as to be in contact with the virtual circle. The work transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the slit is formed so that the formation direction of the slit and the transfer direction of the work are orthogonal to each other. The work transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer track is formed so that the transfer direction of the work faces the inner peripheral side of the transfer track rather than the orthogonal direction of the slit. The invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of the slits are formed at equal intervals along the transport direction of the work, and the angles formed by the transport truck and the slits are the same as each other. The work transfer device described.

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