JP7031129B2 - Transport system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a transport system.

Conventionally, in order to efficiently process a work, there is a production line in which a plurality of processing devices, for example, machine tools are arranged in an aligned manner (see Patent Document 1). In such a production line, the workpieces that have been machined (processed) on the worktables of each machine tool are transported onto the worktables of adjacent machine tools by a transfer device typified by a gantry loader.

For example, in the transport device shown in Patent Document 1, a rail extending in the alignment direction of the machine tools is provided above the work table. A moving body that can move horizontally in the extending direction of the rail is engaged with the rail. Further, the moving body is provided with an elevating shaft capable of ascending and descending in the vertical direction, and a hand for holding the workpiece is provided at the lower end of the elevating shaft.

With such a configuration, when the machining of the workpiece is completed in one machine tool, the elevating shaft of the moving body that has moved horizontally to the position directly above the workpiece is lowered in the transport device. Then, the hand provided at the lower end of the elevating shaft grips the workpiece placed on the work table, and then the elevating shaft rises again. The moving object then moves horizontally on the rails in the direction of the other adjacent machine tool and stops on the work table of the other machine tool. After that, the elevating shaft descends, and the workpiece held by the hand is handed over to the work table of another adjacent machine tool. In this way, the workpiece is transported from one machine tool to another adjacent machine tool.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-151534

However, in the transport device described in Patent Document 1, the elevating shaft of the transport device descends in the vertical direction, and the workpiece on the work table is gripped and received by the hand, or the workpiece gripped by the hand is gripped on the work table. Hand over to. Therefore, the position of the elevating shaft with respect to the position of the work table, specifically, the position of the elevating shaft and the position of the work table in the horizontal direction and in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the rail are accurately matched in advance. Need to keep.

Conventionally, in order to perform such accurate positioning with respect to the elevating shaft, when the transport device and the machine tool are installed on the floor of the factory, the transport device is first fixed on the floor. Specifically, the columns that support the rails of the transport device are fixed on the floor. Then, each part of the transport device including the rail and the elevating shaft is supported by a support column to be in an assembled state. After that, the machine tool is gradually moved and moved on the floor so that the position of the work table (or workpiece) of the machine tool coincides with the position of the elevating shaft of the transport device already fixed on the floor in the above-mentioned direction. After completion, fix the machine tool on the floor. Since the transport device is installed by such a method, a large number of man-hours are required and the installation period is long.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a transport system including a transport device that can be installed in a short time.

In order to solve the above problems, the transport system according to claim 1 moves the hand holding the workpiece and the workpiece held by the hand up and down along an inclined axis having a predetermined inclination with respect to the vertical direction. It is possible to transfer the workpiece between the transport device including the lift device and the first control device for controlling the lift of the workpiece by the first lift device and the hand of the transport device. A table that can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction so that the height position of the delivery can be adjusted, a second raising and lowering device that raises and lowers the table in the vertical direction, and a second control that controls the operation of the second raising and lowering device. The tilted axis has a component in the vertical direction and a component in the Z-axis direction which is the horizontal direction, and the height position of the delivery is the tilt of the first elevating device of the transport device. The first control device and the second control device are determined by the intersection of the axis and the elevating axis of the table , and the determined delivery height position is stored in the stored delivery height position. Based on the control, the workpiece is placed in a preset mounting position on the mounting surface of the table.

In this way, the elevating and lowering of the workpiece by the first elevating device is provided with an inclination, and the table for handing over the workpiece is provided with a function of being able to ascend and descend in the vertical direction. As a result, the workpiece and the table have an intersection on each movement line in each ascent and descent. For this reason, the relative positions of the table and the workpiece are accurately matched in advance in the horizontal direction and in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the rail, as in the case of the prior art in which the workpiece moves only in the vertical direction. There is no need to let it. In other words, even if the relative position between the table and the workpiece is placed with normal position accuracy, the position of the hand can be easily matched to the delivery position of the workpiece on the table by adjusting the height on the table side. Can be done. As a result, the time for adjusting the delivery position of the workpiece can be significantly reduced.

It is a plan schematic diagram of the production system which is an embodiment of this invention. It is a front schematic diagram of the production system which is an embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a K view of FIG. 2, which is a side view of the transport device and the table according to the present invention. It is a figure which looked at the machine tool of FIG. 1 from the Z axis direction. It is a figure which looked at the machine tool of FIG. 1 from the X-axis direction. It is a figure of the table and the table elevating device in 1st Embodiment, and is the figure which shows the state which the table elevating device is not operated. It is a figure of the table and the table elevating device in 1st Embodiment, and is the figure which shows the state which the table elevating device is operated. It is a figure explaining the structure of the linear motion lifter. It is a figure explaining the operation of the elevating shaft and the table in FIG. 6A. It is a figure explaining the operation of the elevating shaft and the table in FIG. 6B. It is explanatory drawing of the state which the workpiece is placed on the table. It is a figure explaining the state before the operation of the elevating shaft and the table in the 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the state after operation of the elevating shaft and the table in 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the horizontal movement apparatus of 3rd Embodiment.

(1. Configuration of production system)
<First Embodiment>
The first embodiment of the production system (processing system) to which the transfer system according to the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. The production system 1 includes a transfer system 10 and a plurality of processing devices 20. The transfer system 10 mainly connects the workpiece W between one processing device 20 (for example, processing device 20a) and another processing device 20 (for example, processing device 20b) adjacent to one processing device 20. It is a transport system.

The processing device 20 is a device that performs predetermined processing (processing, cleaning, surface treatment, etc.) on the workpiece W. In the present embodiment, the processing device 20 is a machine tool, and will be described as performing cutting (processing) on the workpiece W. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the production system 1 is provided with six (plural) machine tools 20. However, this is only an example, and the number of machine tools 20 is not limited to six and may be any number.

As shown in FIG. 1, the machine tools 20 are aligned so as to face the same direction. Specifically, the tables 27 on which the workpiece W is placed are arranged so as to be adjacent to each other. As will be described in detail later, the table 27 is a structure that can be raised and lowered to receive the work W when the machine tool 20 processes the work W, or to deliver the work W after the work W is machined. As described above, the production system 1 includes the transfer system 10 and the plurality of machine tools 20 to form the production line 100.

(1-1. Transport system 10)
The transport system 10 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the transfer system 10 includes a transfer device 11, a table 27, and a table elevating device 28. The transport device 11 is a device that transports the workpiece W between the tables 27 of each machine tool 20. Further, the table 27 and the table elevating device 28 are provided in the machine tool 20 and are also used as the machine tool 20. When the work W is received or delivered by the transfer device 11, the table elevating device 28 raises and lowers the table 27 in a desired amount in the vertical direction and moves it to the delivery position R (dashed line) shown in FIG.

The delivery position R is a predetermined position in the elevating direction of the table 27, and when the transfer device 11 is fixed on the floor FL, the elevating shaft 114 included in the transfer device 11 and the table 27 included in the machine tool 20. It is a position determined by the relative position with and the shape (particularly height) of the workpiece W. Details will be described later.

(1-1-1. Conveyor device)
First, the transfer device 11 of the transfer system 10 will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in the transport device 11 of the present embodiment, the four columns 111, the rail 112, the horizontal moving member 113, the elevating shaft 114, and the elevating shaft 114 are moved up and down. A fourth control device that controls the operation of one elevating device 115, a pair of hands 116, a first control device 117 that controls the operation of the first elevating device 115, a horizontal moving device 118, and a horizontal moving device 118. 119 and.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the present embodiment, the four columns 111 of the transfer device 11 are arranged one by one on both ends outside in the alignment direction of the machine tools 20 aligned on the floor FL. Further, one machine tool is arranged between the second machine tool and the third machine tool 20 from the outside of both ends in the alignment direction of the machine tool 20 toward the aligned machine tool 20 side, respectively. Each of the four columns 111 is hung on the floor FL, and the floor FL side end of each column 111 is fixed to the floor FL. The support column 111 is a structure having a predetermined strength capable of supporting the rail 112 and the like.

The rail 112 is a single shaft-shaped member. As shown in FIG. 2, the rail 112 is fixed to each upper end of each of the four columns 111 so that the axis line is substantially horizontal. The rail 112 extends in the alignment direction of each machine tool 20 (left-right direction in FIGS. 1 and 2), and is provided near the upper side of the table 27 included in the machine tool 20 (see FIG. 1). In other words, the rail 112 is provided so that its axis is orthogonal to and horizontal to the Z axis, which is the axis of the main axis of each machine tool 20. Further, the rail 112 is provided so as to cover from one end to the other end above the machine tools 20 to be aligned.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the horizontal moving member 113 is engaged with the rail 112 so as to be movable in the extending direction of the rail 112, that is, in the axial direction of the rail 112. The horizontal moving member 113 is connected to the horizontal moving device 118, and is moved in the extending direction of the rail 112 by the operation of the horizontal moving device 118.

Further, the horizontal moving device 118 is connected to the fourth control device 119. Then, the fourth control device 119 controls the horizontal moving device 118, whereby the horizontal moving member 113 is moved in the axial direction of the rail 112. At this time, the stop position of the horizontal moving member 113 in the axial direction of the rail 112 can be accurately controlled by the fourth control device 119.

In the present embodiment, the horizontal moving device 118 includes a motor 118a and a ball screw mechanism. The bolt 118b (see FIG. 3) of the ball screw mechanism is provided in the rail 112, and the nut portion (see the broken line in FIG. 3) into which the bolt is screwed is provided in the horizontal moving member 113.

However, the present invention is not limited to this aspect. The horizontal moving device 118 may have any mechanism as long as the position of the horizontal moving member 113 can be controlled when the horizontal moving member 113 moves in the axial direction of the rail 112. For example, it may be configured by a linear motor actuator (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 3, the elevating shaft 114 is a long-axis shaft member. The elevating shaft 114 is engaged with the front surface (lower side in FIG. 1 and left side in FIG. 3) of the horizontal moving member 113. At this time, the elevating shaft 114 can move relative to the horizontal moving member 113 along its own axial direction. At this time, the axis of the elevating shaft 114 is the inclined axis P, and has a predetermined inclination α (see FIG. 3) with respect to a virtual vertical plane including the axis of the rail 112 or a plane parallel to the vertical plane. There is.

The predetermined inclination α is, for example, about 2 to 5 deg. However, this angle is merely an example and is not limited to this. Although a detailed description of the inclined axis P will be described later, the predetermined inclination α of the inclined axis P may be set any number of times and may be arbitrarily set.

The first elevating device 115 shown in FIG. 3 is a device that moves the elevating shaft 114 relative to the horizontal moving member 113 along the inclined axis P. The first elevating device 115 may have any configuration as long as it can control the amount of movement of the elevating shaft 114, that is, control the stop position of the elevating shaft 114. In the present embodiment, similarly to the horizontal moving device 118, the motor 115a and the ball screw mechanism (not shown) are configured. However, the first elevating device 115 may be a device configured by a rack and pinion mechanism. Further, the first elevating device 115 may be configured by a linear motor actuator (not shown).

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the elevating shaft 114 includes a pair of hands 116 (hereinafter, referred to only as hands 116) for gripping the workpiece W at one end on the lower side. The hand 116 is formed by a pair of gripping claws extending downward in the vertical direction to grip the workpiece W. The hand 116 performs an opening / closing operation in which a pair of gripping claws approach or separate from each other by operating an air cylinder (not shown). As a result, the workpiece W is gripped or the workpiece W is separated from the hand 116.

In the first embodiment, the workpiece W machined by the machine tool 20 is, for example, a 3-cylinder cylinder block shown in FIG. Therefore, the pair of hands 116 are inserted into the cylinder holes at both ends from the upper surface W1 of the cylinder block, respectively, and then approach each other to grip the cylinder block. Not limited to this aspect, the pair of hands 116 may simply approach each other and sandwich and grip the workpiece W from the outside.

Further, in the first embodiment, when the hand 116 grips the workpiece W (cylinder block), the lower surface W2 of the workpiece W maintains a horizontal state as shown in FIG. That is, even when the workpiece W is gripped (held) by the hand 116 and is moved up and down along the inclined axis P together with the elevating shaft 114, the workpiece W moves while the lower surface W2 is maintained in a horizontal state.

By the way, at this time, the elevating shaft 114 is moved up and down along the inclined axis P. Therefore, when the workpiece W is gripped by the hand 116 provided at the lower end of the elevating shaft 114, the elevating shaft 114 supports the workpiece W (cylinder block) in a cantilevered state. Therefore, as the predetermined inclination α becomes larger, the bending moment generated in the elevating shaft 114 becomes larger, and the elevating shaft 114 may bend.

Therefore, the magnitude of the predetermined inclination α does not significantly bend the elevating shaft 114 even when the workpiece W is gripped by the hand 116, and affects the delivery operation when the workpiece W is delivered to and from the table 27. It is preferable that the size is set so as not to give. Further, the elevating shaft 114 does not bend significantly even if the workpiece W is supported in the cantilevered state as described above, and there is no influence when the workpiece W is delivered to the table 27 side at the delivery position R. Needless to say, it is formed with high rigidity.

The first control device 117 is connected to the motor 115a of the first elevating device 115, and sends a command to the motor 115a. As a result, the motor 115a is operated, and by extension, the ball screw mechanism (not shown) is operated, so that the workpiece W gripped by the elevating shaft 114 and the hand 116 has an inclined axis line having a predetermined inclination α with respect to the vertical direction. Move up and down along P.

(1-2. Processing equipment)
Next, the machine tool 20 which is a processing device will be described. The six machine tools 20 are all the same. Therefore, one unit will be described as a representative. As an example of a machine tool, a 4-axis horizontal machining center will be taken as an example, and will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. In the present embodiment, the machine tool 20 has three linear axes (X-axis (horizontal direction), Y-axis (vertical direction), Z-axis (horizontal direction)) and one tilting rotation axis (A) that are orthogonal to each other as drive axes. It has an axis (parallel to the X axis). The six machine tools 20 may be a combination of different types of machines.

Specifically, the X-axis direction is the left-right direction (width direction) of the machine tool 20, and the Z-axis direction is the front-back direction of the machine tool 20 (in FIG. 2, the left side is the front side and the right side is the rear side), Y. The axial direction is the vertical direction (height direction) of the machine tool 20. As described above, in the first embodiment, the workpiece W machined by the machine tool 20 is, for example, a 3-cylinder cylinder block. However, the present invention is not limited to this aspect, and any work W may be used.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the machine tool 20 includes a bed 21, a spindle moving body 22, a headstock 23, a spindle 24, a table 27 (which constitutes the transport system 10), and a table elevating device 28 for raising and lowering the table 27. (Constituent of the transport system 10), and a control device 29 and the like are provided.

The bed 21 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is arranged on the floor FL. A spindle moving body 22 is provided on the bed 21 so as to be movable in the X-axis direction (paper depth direction in FIG. 5). The spindle moving body 22 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is provided so as to be movable in the X-axis direction along a pair of guide members 21a, 21a extending in the X-axis direction provided on the bed 21. Between the pair of guide members 21a and 21a, an X-axis motor 33 having a ball screw mechanism (not shown) for moving the spindle moving body 22 in the X-axis direction is provided.

A spindle base 23 is provided on the spindle moving body 22. The headstock 23 is provided so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction along a pair of guide members 22a (one of which is not shown) extending in the Z-axis direction provided on the spindle moving body 22. A Z-axis motor 43 having a ball screw mechanism 42 is provided between the pair of guide members 22a. The ball screw mechanism 42 moves the headstock 23 in the Z-axis direction. The headstock 23 includes a spindle 24 that is rotatably supported and a spindle motor 44 that has a gear mechanism that rotates the spindle 24 around the Z-axis line. A rotary tool T for machining the workpiece W is detachably attached to the tip of the spindle 24.

(1-2-1. Table lifting device (conveying system 10))
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the table elevating device 28 (conveying system 10) includes a table support pedestal 281, a second elevating device 282 that raises and lowers the table support pedestal 281 in the vertical direction, and an upper surface 281a of the table support pedestal 281. A tilt device 284 that is arranged in the table 27 and tilts the table 27 is provided.

The table elevating device 28 mainly has a height of the table 27 so that the table 27 can receive or deliver the workpiece W to and from the pair of hands 116 of the transfer device 11 at the above-mentioned delivery position R (the height of the table 27). Adjust the Y-axis direction). However, the delivery position R is determined by the relative position between the elevating shaft 114 of the transfer device 11 and the table 27 when the transfer device 11 and the machine tool 20 are installed on the floor FL.

Therefore, when the transfer device 11 and the machine tool 20 are installed on the floor FL, the delivery position R is calculated in advance, and the calculated delivery position R information is used as the first control to control the operation of the first elevating device 115. The device 117 and the table 27 may be stored in the second control device 283 for moving up and down in the vertical direction, respectively.

As a result, the work W can be smoothly received or delivered between the table 27 and the pair of hands 116. As is clear from the above, the delivery position R also depends on the height of the workpiece W, that is, the height from the gripping position of the workpiece W gripped by the hand 116 to the lower surface W2 of the workpiece W. Therefore, when the workpiece W to be machined is changed, the height from the gripping position of the workpiece W gripped by the hand 116 to the lower surface W2 of the workpiece W is newly grasped, and based on this height. , The delivery position R may be changed.

In this way, in order to enable the receiving or delivery of the workpiece W between the hand 116 and the table 27 at the predetermined delivery position R, the transfer device 11 and the machine tool 20 are installed on the floor FL. At this time, it is necessary to adjust the position of the table 27 in the Z-axis direction with respect to the position of the elevating shaft 114 of the transport device 11, that is, the position orthogonal to the axis of the rail 112 and in the horizontal direction within a predetermined range in advance. ..

However, in the embodiment of the present invention, since the moving direction of the workpiece W has an inclination, the delivery position R is established within a predetermined range in the Z-axis direction. Therefore, unlike the conventional method, it is not necessary to adjust the position of the machine tool with high accuracy as in order to match the position of the table that moves up and down in the vertical direction with the position of the lifting shaft.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the table support table 281 is provided on the front surface of the bed 21 (left side in FIG. 5) so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction. A pair of guide members 21b, 21b extending in the Y-axis direction are provided on the front surface of the bed 21, and the table support base 281 is engaged with the pair of guide members 21b, 21b to form a pair of guide members 21b, 21b. Move along. The table support 281 moves up and down in the Y-axis direction by the operation of the second elevating device 282 (see FIG. 4).

The second elevating device 282 includes a ball screw mechanism 25 and a second control device 283 that controls the operation of the ball screw mechanism 25. The ball screw mechanism 25 is provided between the pair of guide members 21b, 21b. Then, the Y-axis motor 26 included in the ball screw mechanism 25 is rotationally controlled by the second control device 283, so that the elevating position of the table support base 281 in the Y-axis direction is accurately controlled.

As shown in FIG. 4, the tilt device 284 includes a pair of tilt device main bodies 284a, 284b, a pair of cradle 285,285, an A-axis motor 284c, and a third control device 286. The pair of tilt device main bodies 284a and 284b are formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and are arranged at both ends of the upper surface 281a of the table support base 281 in the X-axis direction. At this time, the pair of tilt device main bodies 284a and 284b each have a mounting surface 284a1,284b1 of the pair of cradle 285 and 285. Then, the mounting surfaces 284a1,284b1 have a predetermined distance in the X-axis direction and are fixed to the upper surface 281a of the table support base 281 so as to face each other (see FIG. 4).

The pair of cradle 285 and 285 are arranged between the tilt device main bodies 284a and 284b, respectively, as shown in FIG. The pair of cradle 285 and 285 are each formed in the same shape. Specifically, each cradle 285 has an L-shape in which the ends of two rectangular plate members are orthogonal to each other. As shown in FIG. 4, the cradle 285 and 285 are arranged to face each other so as to have an L-shape (left side in FIG. 4) and a left-right inverted L-shape (right side in FIG. 4) when viewed from the Z-axis direction. Will be done.

Of the L-shaped two sides 285b and 285c of each cradle 285 and 285, the horizontal side 285b in FIG. 4 forms a surface on which the table 27 is placed. Further, of the two L-shaped sides 285b and 285c, the vertical side 285c forms a surface for attaching to the tilt device main body 284a and 284b.

The cradle 285 and 285 are arranged so that their sides 285c and 285c face each other at predetermined intervals in the X-axis direction, and are connected to the mounting surfaces 284a1,284b1 of the tilt device main body 284a and 284b so as to be tiltable around the A axis. (See FIG. 4). At this time, the A-axis is an axis orthogonal to the vertical plane including the inclined axis P, which is the axis in the direction in which the workpiece W gripped by the elevating shaft 114 by the first elevating device 115 of the transport device 11 is moved up and down. That is, the A axis is an axis parallel to the X axis.

Then, the table 27 is placed over the upper surfaces 285a and 285a of the sides 285b and 285b of the cradle 285 and 285 which are arranged so as to face each other. Then, the lower surface of the base table 27b of the table 27 is fixed to the upper surfaces 285a and 285a by predetermined means such as welding and bolt connection (see FIG. 4). As a result, the pair of cradle 285, 285 and the table 27 are integrated.

One of the tilt device main bodies 284a and 284b is provided with a gear mechanism (not shown) for tilting the cradle 285 and 285 around the A axis and an A-axis motor 284c connected to the gear mechanism. In the present embodiment, the gear mechanism and the A-axis motor 284c are provided on the tilt device main body 284b on the right side in FIG. The rotation (rotation angle) of the A-axis motor 284c is controlled by the third control device 286. Then, the controlled rotation of the A-axis motor 284c causes the cradle 285, 285 and the table 27 to be tilted around the A-axis by a desired angle via the gear mechanism (not shown).

As a result, when the workpiece W is transferred between the pair of hands 116 and the table 27, the tilt device 284 is operated by the third control device 286, and the mounting surface Q of the table 27 is in the vertical direction. The table 27 is tilted around the A axis so as to be orthogonal to the table 27. That is, the table 27 is tilted around the A axis so that the mounting surface Q is in a horizontal state. However, if the mounting surface Q is already horizontal when the workpiece W is delivered, the tilt control of the table 27 may not be performed.

The table 27 has a mounting surface Q on the upper surface on which the workpiece W is mounted when it is machined by the spindle 24 of the machine tool 20 (see FIGS. 3, 4, 6A, 6B). In the present embodiment, the table 27 includes a movable table 27a having the mounting surface Q described above, and a base table 27b provided below the movable table 27a and supporting the movable table 27a.

A distance adjusting device 277 for adjusting the distance D between the movable table 27a and the base table 27b is provided between the movable table 27a and the base table 27b. The distance adjusting device 277 may have any mechanism. The distance adjusting device 277 is controlled by the second control device 283. For example, a hydraulic cylinder, a pantograph, or the like can be applied to the distance adjusting device 277. In this embodiment, an example of using a pantograph has been described. However, the figure of the pantograph is a schematic diagram.

Further, as the distance adjusting device 277, a linear moving lifter as shown in FIG. 7 may be applied. The linear motion lifter shown in FIG. 7 is a device that expands and contracts the support rod 27e by a drive device 278 operated by a motor or the like fixed to the base table 27b, and moves the movable table 27a up and down with respect to the base table 27b. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the guide bar 27c is fixed to the movable table 27a. Further, the base table 27b is provided with a guide hole 27d through which the guide bar 27c is penetrated and engaged. The drive device 278 is controlled by the second control device 283. With such a configuration, the distance D between the movable table 27a and the base table 27b may be adjusted by the control of the second control device 283.

On the upper surface 27b1 of the base table 27b, for example, two knock pins KPs that can be engaged with the engaging holes provided on the lower surface of the workpiece W are projected. Further, on the movable table 27a, when the distance D between the movable table 27a and the base table 27b is changed and becomes smaller, the knock pin KP on the upper surface 27b1 of the base table 27b can protrude onto the movable table 27a. Through holes 27a1 and 27a1 are provided so as to be.

The control device 29 is installed behind the machine tool 20 as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. The control device 29 controls the drive of the spindle motor 44 to rotate the rotary tool T. Further, the control device 29 controls each drive of the X-axis motor 33 and the Z-axis motor 43 to move the workpiece W and the rotary tool T relative to each other in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction. The control device 29 cuts the workpiece W by these controls.

As described above, the control of the operation in the Y-axis direction and around the A-axis is controlled by the second control device 283 and the third control device 286, respectively. However, not limited to this aspect, the second control device 283 and the third control device 286 may be provided in the control device 29. The location of the second control device 283 and the third control device 286 may be anywhere.

(2. Operation)
Next, the operation when the workpiece W is delivered to the mounting surface Q of the table 27 by the transport system 10 will be described. In this case, as a premise, as shown in FIG. 8, the workpiece W is gripped by the hand 116 included in the transport device 11. Further, it is assumed that the workpiece W is lifted to a position separated from the table 27 by a predetermined distance by raising the elevating shaft 114 along the inclined axis P under the control of the second control device 283. .. Further, the mounting surface Q of the table 27 tilting around the A axis is controlled to be in a horizontal state by the operation of the tilt device 284 by the third control device 286.

In such a state, the fourth control device 119 moves the horizontal moving member 113 in the axial direction of the rail 112 (that is, the X-axis direction of the machine tool 20), and moves the workpiece W gripped by the hand 116. Next, the machine tool 20 to be delivered is moved to a position in the X-axis direction of the table 27 (see the states of FIGS. 1 and 2).

Next, as shown in FIG. 9, the elevating shaft 114 is lowered along the inclined axis P under the control of the second control device 283. That is, the lower surface W2 of the workpiece W gripped by the hand 116 is delivered and lowered to the delivery position R. Further, the second elevating device 282 is operated by the second control device 283 until the mounting surface Q of the table 27 reaches the delivery position R, and the table 27 is raised in the vertical direction.

As a result, the lower surface W2 of the workpiece W is placed at a preset mounting position on the mounting surface Q of the table 27 (movable table 27a). Then, in such a state, the pair of hands 116 are opened in the direction of being separated from each other, and the grip of the workpiece W is released. After that, the elevating shaft 114 is raised along the inclined axis P by the control of the second control device 283 (not shown).

At this time, on the mounting surface Q of the movable table 27a of the table 27, the knock pin KP on the base table 27b is in a state of not protruding onto the movable table 27a. As a result, the workpiece W can be comfortably placed on the mounting surface Q. In such a state, the hydraulic clamping device (not shown) is operated, and the workpiece W is clamped and fixed on the movable table 27a.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the distance adjusting device 277 is controlled by the second control device 283, and the distance D between the movable table 27a of the table 27 and the base table 27b is reduced. As a result, the movable table 27a is lowered, and the knock pin KP projects onto the movable table 27a and is engaged with the engagement hole of the workpiece W. As a result, the workpiece W can be machined by the machine tool 20.

Further, when the predetermined machining of the workpiece W is completed by the machine tool 20, the workpiece W is gripped by the elevating shaft 114 at the delivery position R by the reverse procedure of the above, and the elevating shaft 114 and the workpiece W are tilted. It is raised along the axis P. After that, the workpiece W is conveyed by the same procedure as described above, and the workpiece W is supplied onto the mounting surface Q of the table 27 provided in another machine tool 20 adjacent to the workpiece W. In the production line 100, such repeated transportation and processing are performed to complete the workpiece W.

(3. Other embodiments)
<Modified example of the first embodiment>
In the first embodiment, when the workpiece W is delivered onto the mounting surface Q on the table 27 by the movement of the lifting shaft 114 provided in the table lifting device 28, the mounting surface Q is tilted. The workpiece W was delivered while being controlled to be horizontal by the 284 and the lower surface W2 of the workpiece W was maintained horizontal. However, it is not limited to this aspect. As a modification of the first embodiment, the table elevating device (conveying system) may not be provided with the tilt device 284. That is, the table 27 may be provided so as not to be tilted around the A axis orthogonal to the vertical plane including the inclined axis P which is the axis in the direction in which the workpiece W is moved up and down. In this case, the operation of the transfer system is exactly the same as the operation of the transfer system 10 in the first embodiment, and has the same effect.

<Second embodiment>
Further, in the first embodiment, when the workpiece W is mounted on the mounting surface Q on the table 27 by the movement of the lifting shaft 114 provided in the table lifting device 28, the mounting surface Q is tilted. The work W was delivered while the work W was brought into a horizontal state by 284 and the lower surface W2 of the work W was maintained horizontal. However, it is not limited to this aspect. As a second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, in the table elevating device 28, when the workpiece W is transferred between the hand 216 and the table 227, the mounting surface Q on the table 227 is the first. The table 227 may be tilted around the A axis by the third control device 286 so as to be orthogonal to the tilt axis P of the elevating device 115.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, the table 227 does not have to have the movable table 27a. Further, the table elevating device 28 does not have to have the distance adjusting device 277. Further, the pair of hands 216 are formed so as to extend in the same direction as the axis (inclined axis P) of the elevating shaft 214, and the lower surface W2 of the workpiece W has a predetermined angle α with respect to the horizontal plane. It shall be retained.

In such a state, when the elevating shaft 214 descends along the inclined axis P and the table 227 rises in the vertical direction, the lower surface W2 of the workpiece W is engaged at a predetermined delivery position R in the Y-axis direction. A knock pin KP provided on the upper surface of the table 227 directly engages with the hole (see FIG. 12). Therefore, the structure of the table 27 can be simplified.

Then, the hydraulic clamping device (not shown) is activated to clamp and fix the workpiece W on the table 227. After that, after the engagement between the workpiece W and the hand 216 is released, the elevating shaft 214 rises along the inclined axis P, and the elevating shaft 214 (hand 216) is separated from the workpiece W. Then, the table 227 is tilted around the A axis by the tilt device 284 so that the mounting surface Q of the table 227 is horizontal. After that, it is the same as the first embodiment.

After that, when the predetermined machining of the workpiece W is completed by the machine tool 20, the mounting surface Q of the table 227 is tilted again so as to form a predetermined angle α with the horizontal plane by the reverse procedure of the above. After that, the workpiece W is gripped at the delivery position R by the pair of hands 216 included in the elevating shaft 214 descending again along the inclined axis P, and the elevating shaft 214 and the workpiece W are raised along the inclined axis P. To. After that, the workpiece W is conveyed by the transfer device 11 by the same procedure as described above, and is supplied to the mounting surface Q on the table 227 of another adjacent machine tool 20 by the same procedure.

<Third embodiment>
Further, in the first and second embodiments, the horizontal moving device 118 for moving the horizontal moving member 113 in the horizontal direction is composed of a motor 118a and a ball screw mechanism. At this time, the bolt 118b (see FIG. 3) of the ball screw mechanism was fixed in the rail 112, and the nut portion (see the broken line in FIG. 3) into which the bolt 118b was screwed was provided on the horizontal moving member 113. As a result, when the horizontal moving device 118 is operated, the horizontal moving member 113 is moved relative to the rail 112 in the axial direction.

However, it is not limited to this aspect. As a third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, a horizontal moving device 218 (corresponding to the horizontal moving device 118) is attached to the horizontal moving member 113, and a motor 218a (corresponding to the motor 118a), a gear, and the like are attached. The drive mechanism 218b (gear portion) by the above may be provided.

The drive mechanism 218b includes a pinion gear 218b1 that meshes with a tooth portion 218b2 (rack) fixed to the rail 112. The pinion gear 218b1 is provided at the tip of the rotating shaft of the motor 218a so as to rotate integrally with the rotating shaft. The tooth portion 218b2 extends in the axial direction of the rail 112 and is fixed to the rail 112. Further, as shown in FIG. 13, between the rail 112 and the horizontal moving member 113, there are two guide portions 210 for smoothing the relative movement between the rail 112 and the horizontal moving member 113. It is provided in a place. The guide portion 210 includes guide grooves 211 and 211 provided on the horizontal moving member 113 side, and guide members 212 and 212 provided on the rail 112 side and engaged with the guide grooves 211, respectively. Further, the motor 218a is connected to the fourth control device 219.

With such a configuration, in the horizontal movement device 218, when the rotation shaft of the motor 218a and the pinion gear 218b1 rotate under the control of the fourth control device 219, they mesh with the tooth portion 218b2 on the tooth portion 218b2 fixed to the rail 112. The pinion gear 218b1 rolls along the axial direction of the rail 112. Along with this, the horizontal moving member 113 to which the motor 218a is fixed is moved relative to the rail 112 along the axial direction. At this time, the amount of movement of the horizontal moving member 113 in the axial direction can be controlled by controlling the rotation angle of the rotation axis of the motor 218a controlled by the fourth control device 219. Even with such a configuration, the same effect as that of the above embodiment can be obtained.

(4. Effect of the embodiment)
According to the first to third embodiments, the transfer system 10 tilts the workpiece W held by the hands 116, 216 and the hands 116, 216 holding the workpiece W in a predetermined inclination α with respect to the vertical direction. A transport device 11 including a first elevating device 115 for elevating and lowering along the inclined axis P and a first control device 117 for controlling the elevating and lowering of the workpiece W by the first elevating device 115, and a transport device 11 capable of ascending and descending in the vertical direction. It is provided with tables 27 and 227 capable of transferring the workpiece W to and from the hands 116 and 216 of the transfer device 11.

In this way, the elevation of the workpiece W by the first elevating device 115 is provided with an inclination, and the tables 27 and 227 for handing over the workpiece W are provided with a function of being able to ascend and descend in the vertical direction. As a result, the workpiece W and the tables 27 and 227 have intersections on each movement line in each ascent and descent. Therefore, as in the case of the prior art in which the work W moves only in the vertical direction, the relative position between the table and the work W is set in advance in the horizontal direction and in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the rail. There is no need to match accurately. That is, even if the relative positions of the table 27 and the workpiece W are arranged with normal position accuracy, the positions of the hands 116 and 216 can be changed to the positions of the workpiece W on the tables 27 and 227 by adjusting the height on the table side. It can be easily matched to the delivery position. As a result, the time for adjusting the delivery position of the workpiece W can be significantly reduced, so that the construction period for installing the transport system 10 can be shortened.

Further, according to the first to third embodiments, the transport system 10 includes a second elevating device 282 that raises and lowers the table 27 in the vertical direction, and a second control device 283 that controls the operation of the second elevating device 282. , Equipped with. As a result, even if the type of the work W is changed in the middle, the delivery position R of the work W can be easily changed by the operation of the second elevating device 282. As a result, a highly versatile transfer system 10 can be obtained.

Further, according to the first embodiment, the table 27 is a table of the machine tool 20 having the mounting surface Q of the workpiece W, and the table 27 is the workpiece W by the first elevating device 115 of the transport device 11. Is provided so as to be tiltable around the A axis orthogonal to the vertical plane including the inclined axis P which is the axis in the direction of raising and lowering. Further, the transfer system 10 rotates the table 27 around the A axis so that the mounting surface Q is orthogonal to the vertical direction when the workpiece W is transferred between the hand 116 and the table 27. A third control device 286 is provided.

As a result, even if the machine tool 20 has the tilt device 284 that is originally required for machining, the mounting surface Q is orthogonal to the vertical direction when the workpiece W is delivered to the table 27. That is, the mounting surface Q can be in a horizontal state. Therefore, it is easy to determine the delivery position R in the Y-axis direction (vertical direction).

Further, according to the second embodiment, the table 227 is a table of the machine tool 20 having the mounting surface Q of the workpiece W, and the table 227 is the workpiece W by the first elevating device 115 of the transport device 11. Is provided so as to be tiltable around the A axis orthogonal to the vertical plane including the inclined axis P which is the axis in the direction of raising and lowering. Then, in the transport system 10, when the workpiece W is transferred between the hand 216 and the table 227, the mounting surface Q on the table 227 is orthogonal to the inclined axis P of the first elevating device 115. A third control device 286 for tilting the table 227 around the A axis is provided.

As a result, the workpiece W can be easily and directly attached to the knock pin KP on the mounting surface Q of the table 227 without providing the table 227 side with a two-stage complicated mechanism like the table 27 of the first embodiment. It can be engaged with, and the cost can be reduced.

Further, according to the first to third embodiments, in the transport system 10, the tables 27 and 227 deliver the workpiece W to and from the hand 116 at a height corresponding to the type of the workpiece W. The second control device 283 controls the operation of the second elevating device 282 based on the height according to the type of the workpiece W. As a result, even if the shape of the workpiece W, that is, the height is changed, it can be easily dealt with.

Further, according to the transfer system 10 of the first to third embodiments, in the production line 100 in which a plurality of machine tools 20 are aligned, the transfer device 11 extends in the alignment direction of the machine tools 20 and is on the table 27. The rail 112 provided above, the horizontal moving member 113 provided on the rail 112 so as to be movable in the extending direction of the rail 112, and the horizontal moving member 113 provided with the hands 116 and 216 at one end. , The elevating shafts 114 and 214 that are moved up and down along the inclined axis P by the control of the first control device 117, and the fourth control device 119 that controls the movement of the horizontal moving member 113. As described above, in the production line 100 using a plurality of machine tools 20, the effect of shortening the installation time can be obtained by the number of machine tools 20 used, so that a very large effect can be expected.

(5. Others)
In the first to third embodiments, the cylinder block is applied as the workpiece W. However, it is not limited to this aspect. The work W may be any object. However, if the type of the workpiece W is changed, the delivery position R for delivering the workpiece W to the table changes. In this case, the changed delivery position R may be changed according to the height of the workpiece W.

Further, in the first to third embodiments, the inclined axis P on which the elevating shafts 114 and 214 included in the transport device 11 are elevated is the main axis in the Z-axis direction with respect to the table 27 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 11. It was configured to incline toward the table 27 from above the 24 side (the side closer to the table than the main shaft 24). However, it is not limited to this aspect. The inclined axis P may be configured to be inclined toward the table 27 from above the side opposite to the main axis 24 (the side farther from the main axis 24 from the table) in the Z-axis direction than the table 27. The same effect can be expected from this.

Further, in the first to third embodiments, the tables 27 and 227 are moved in the vertical direction to reach the delivery position R. However, this aspect is not limited to this. The tables 27 and 227 may be moved to the delivery position R in advance and fixed. Then, only the elevating shafts 114 and 214 may be operated along the inclined axis P, and the workpiece W may be delivered to and from the tables 27 and 227 at the delivery position R.

10 ... Transfer system, 11 ... Transfer device, 20 ... Processing device (machine tool), 27, 227 ... Table, 28 ... Table lifting device, 100 ... Production line, 111.・ ・ Support, 112 ・ ・ ・ Rail, 113 ・ ・ ・ Horizontal movement member, 114, 214 ・ ・ ・ Elevating shaft, 115 ・ ・ ・ First elevating device, 116, 216 ・ ・ ・ Hand, 117 ・ ・ ・ No. (1) Control device, 118, 218 ... Horizontal movement device, 119 ... Fourth control device, 282 ... Second elevating device, 283 ... Second control device, 284 ... Tilt device, 286・ ・ ・ Third control device, FL ・ ・ ・ Floor, P ・ ・ ・ Inclined axis, Q ・ ・ ・ Mounting surface, R ・ ・ ・ Delivery position, W ・ ・ ・ Machine tool, W1 ・ ・ ・ Top surface, W2・ ・ ・ Bottom surface, α ・ ・ ・ Tilt angle.

Claims (7)

A hand that holds the work piece, a first elevating device that raises and lowers the work piece held by the hand along an inclined axis having a predetermined inclination with respect to the vertical direction, and the work piece by the first elevating device. A transport device including the first control device for controlling the ascent and descent, and
A table that can be delivered to and from the hand of the transport device and can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction so that the height position of the delivery can be adjusted.
A second lifting device that raises and lowers the table in the vertical direction,
The second control device that controls the operation of the second elevating device and
Equipped with
The inclined axis has a vertical component and a horizontal Z-axis component.
The height position of the delivery is determined by the intersection of the inclined axis of the first elevating device of the transport device and the elevating axis of the table.
The first control device and the second control device store the determined height position of the delivery, control based on the stored height position of the delivery, and place the workpiece on the table. A transport system that mounts in a preset mounting position on the surface. The first aspect of the present invention, wherein the height of the table when the work is delivered to and from the hand is determined by the height according to the type of the work placed on the table. Transport system. The table is a table of a processing device having a mounting surface for the workpiece.
The second elevating device is located between a height position at which the work is delivered to and from the transport device and a height position at which the processing device performs a predetermined treatment on the work. The transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the front-described surface of the table is raised and lowered. The table is a table of a processing device having a mounting surface for the workpiece.
The table is provided so as to be tiltable around the A axis orthogonal to the vertical plane including the inclined axis, which is the axis in the direction in which the workpiece is moved up and down by the first elevating device of the transport device.
The transport system is
A third control that tilts the table around the A axis so that the above-mentioned mounting surface is orthogonal to the vertical direction when the workpiece is transferred between the hand and the table. The transport system according to any one of claims 1-3, comprising the device. The table is a table of a processing device having a mounting surface for the workpiece.
The table is provided so as to be tiltable around the A axis orthogonal to the vertical plane including the inclined axis, which is the axis in the direction in which the workpiece is moved up and down by the first elevating device of the transport device.
The transport system is
When the workpiece is transferred between the hand and the table, the table is set to the A axis so that the above-mentioned mounting surface is orthogonal to the inclined axis of the first elevating device. The transport system according to any one of claims 1-3, comprising a third control device that tilts around. The table is a table of the processing device.
The table is provided so as to be non-tiltable around an axis A orthogonal to a vertical plane including the inclined axis, which is an axis in a direction in which the workpiece is moved up and down by the first elevating device of the transport device. The transport system according to any one of 3. In a production line where a plurality of the processing devices are lined up
The transport device is
A rail extending in the alignment direction of the processing apparatus and provided above the table,
A horizontal moving member provided on the rail so as to be movable in the extending direction of the rail, and
An elevating shaft provided on the horizontal moving member, having the hand at one end, and being moved up and down along the inclined axis by the control of the first control device.
The transport system according to any one of claims 4-6, comprising a fourth control device for controlling the movement of the horizontal moving member.

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