JPH01278875A - Car type conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To steer a conveyor truck so smoothly by setting front and rear wheels of this conveyor truck down to floating caster wheels, installing a freely- turnable driving wheel in front of the truck via a movable frame vertically movable to a truck body, and guide the driving wheel via a slit formed in a travel passage. CONSTITUTION:In a conveyor truck 2 being used for movements in the premises as mounting an automobile during manufacture in an automobile assembly line or the like, the front and rear wheels are set down to floating caster wheels 6, while a movable frame 14f, being vertically movable to a truck body 3, is installed in front of the truck 2, and a driving wheel 7 free of rotation around a vertical axis and free of driven by a motor, is installed in the movable frame. It is guided in contact with a guide rail installed in a lower recess of a travel passage via a slit 1b formed in this travel passage 1a and thereby the conveyor truck is thus sterred. When the motor gets out of order, it can be guided and driven as well by a chain 24. Accordingly the conveyor truck is smoothly steerable.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a trolley-type transport device used in automobile assembly lines, etc., and more specifically, for placing objects to be transported such as car bodies along a transport path. The present invention relates to a transport device in which a transport vehicle is self-propelled.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as a device of this kind, according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 48-59511, a pit is formed by burying a wide groove-shaped track frame over the entire width of the conveyance path, and A pair of running rails and a guide rail are fixed to the wall at the center of the bottom surface thereof, and a steering frame is attached to the bottom surface of the carriage body of the transport vehicle via a vertical steering shaft. Wheels rolling on the running rail are pivotally supported on both left and right ends of the bogie, and a pair of front and rear guide rollers that contact one side of the guide rail are pivoted on the steering frame. A movable swing frame is provided, a drive roller that contacts the other side of the guide rail and its drive motor are attached to the swing frame, and a spring is attached to the swing frame so that the drive roller presses against the guide rail. Those energized by are known.

In this device, the conveyance cart moves along the conveyance path by rotation of the drive roller, and at the curved portion of the conveyance path, a pair of guide rollers come into contact with the guide rail due to the pressure reaction force of the drive roller against the guide rail. The steering frame is rotated to
The direction of the wheels changes, and the carriage is steered around the curved portion.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the above-mentioned device, the pit is formed over the entire width of the conveyance path, so the conveyance path cannot be used as a work space, and the load is not transferred by the wheels attached to the steering frame. As a result, the rotational resistance of the steering frame increases, making it difficult to perform steering smoothly.Furthermore, in addition to the steering frame, it is necessary to provide a swinging frame with a drive roller attached to the bogie body. , there is a problem that the structure is complicated.

In view of the above points, the present invention aims to provide a transport device with a simple structure in which the transport path is formed flat so that it can be used as a work space, and the maneuverability of the transport vehicle is improved. purpose.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, in the invention of claim 1, in a trolley-type conveyance device in which a conveyance cart is self-propelled along a conveyance path, a center portion in the width direction of the conveyance path is provided. Form a pit in the
A guide rail is laid in the pit, a track is formed on the top surface of the pit that is flush with the road surface of a conveyance path covering the pit, and a slit communicating with the pit is formed in the center of the track in the width direction. , at least one of the front wheels of a plurality of wheels attached to the cart main body of the transport cart so as to be in contact with the road surface of the transport path is a caster wheel; A steering frame is pivotally supported, and a drive wheel that touches the ground on the track substantially directly below the steering axis, and a travel motor that rotates the drive wheel are attached to the steering frame,
Furthermore, a guide member that is guided by engaging with the guide rail is provided, and the guide member is connected to the steering frame through the slit.

In this case, in order to facilitate the construction work of the conveyance path and improve the maintenance workability in the pit, as in the invention of claim 2, the pit is buried in the center of the width direction of the conveyance path. A pair of cover plates facing each other with a gap forming the slit are removably locked to the upper ends of side plates on both sides of the track frame. It is desirable that the trajectory is constructed by the following.

Further, in order to apply an appropriate ground load to the driving wheels, the steering frame is pivoted to a movable frame that is biased downwardly by a biasing means on the bogie body. Further, as in the invention of claim 4, the movable frame is pivotally supported on the truck main body at its front and rear ends so as to be swingable in the vertical direction, and the width of the movable frame with respect to the truck main body is fixed to the pivot portion. It is preferable to provide an elastic member that allows tilting in the direction.

Further, as in claim 5, the guide member is freely separable from the steering frame, and an operating member for pulling up the movable frame against the biasing means is provided, and further as in claim 6, , all of the wheels attached to the truck body are made of caster wheels, and a second guide member that engages with and is guided by the slit or the guide rail is provided, and the drive wheel is attached to the truck body. It is desirable to provide an engaging member that is detachable from the second guide member and is spaced apart from the second guide member in the front-rear direction.

(Function) The conveyance vehicle travels on the road surface of the conveyance path by the rotation of the drive wheels, and in the curved portion of the conveyance path, the steering frame is rotated via a guide member guided by a guide rail in the pit. The drive wheels are steered so as to face in the tangential direction of the track at the center of the transport path, and the direction of the front wheels, which are made up of caster wheels, changes in response to the tangential propulsive force from the drive wheels, and the curved part of the transport vehicle Steering is performed at

Here, since the weight of the truck, including the transported object, is supported by the wheels attached to the truck body, the weight of the truck does not directly act on the drive wheels, and the drive wheels are positioned approximately directly below the steering axis on the track. Because it is in contact with the ground, the steering reaction force of the drive wheels that causes turning resistance of the steering frame is reduced, the steering frame can be turned smoothly following the guide rail, and the steering performance of the transport vehicle is improved. ,
The conveyance cart smoothly runs along the curved portion of the conveyance path.

Note that the conveyance path is formed flat over its entire width including the track, allowing the operator to perform work while standing on the conveyance path.

Further, according to the third aspect of the invention, the urging force of the urging means acts on the drive wheel via the movable frame and the steering frame, and the drive wheel is provided with an appropriate grounding force necessary to prevent the drive wheel from slipping. When a load is applied, and further, according to the invention of claim 4, even if the wheels pick up undulations on the road surface and the bogie body tilts, this tilting is absorbed by the elastic member, and the drive wheels are stably grounded on the track. , there is no possibility that one side of the drive wheel will float up and cause slip.

Further, according to the invention of claim 5, the guide wheel can be separated from the steering frame, and the movable frame can be pulled up by the operating member to lift the drive wheels from the track, and when doing so, the transport vehicle can be moved freely. When a transport vehicle malfunctions, it can be easily removed from the transport path.

According to the invention of claim 6, by making all the wheels caster wheels, the turning performance of the transport vehicle is improved, and the transport vehicle is guided by two guide members at two points spaced apart in the front and rear direction. Even if the conveyance path is complicatedly curved, the conveyance cart can be accurately driven along the conveyance path.

Incidentally, when removing the transport vehicle from the transport path, the engaging member is disengaged from the second guide member.

By the way, in the conventional technology in which a pit is formed by burying a wide track frame that spans the entire width of the conveyance path, the track frame becomes large and the weight of the bogie is transferred to the track frame through the running rail fixed to it. As a result, the track frame needs to be reinforced, and the track frame burying work becomes large-scale.

However, in the present invention, the pit is only formed at the center in the width direction of the conveyance path, and the track frame constituting the pit can be narrow and small, and the wheels of the truck body that receive the weight of the truck are placed in the width direction of the conveyance path. Since the track frame is in contact with the road surface of According to the invention in Item 2, the track in the center of the conveyance path covering the pit is constructed with a cover plate that is removably attached to the upper ends of both side plates of the track frame, so maintenance inside the pit can be easily performed by removing the cover plate. able to perform work.

(Embodiment) The illustrated embodiment is one in which the present invention device is applied to an automobile assembly line for assembling various parts to an automobile body W.
Referring to the figures and FIG.
2) is provided with a support table (5) on which the vehicle body W is placed on the trolley body (3) via an X-link mechanism (4), which can be raised and lowered. Road (1)
A total of four front and rear wheels (6) that are in contact with the road surface on both left and right sides of the carriage and a drive wheel (7) to be described later are attached to the front center of the carriage body (5), and the carriage (2) is moved along the conveyance path ( 1) to transport the vehicle body W to the assembly line.

As shown in Fig. 3, a substantially U-shaped track frame (8) is buried in the widthwise center of the conveyance path (1), and a pit consisting of the track frame (8) is filled with a track frame (8). A guide rail (9) is laid, and side plates (8a) (8) are installed on both sides of the track frame (8).
a) A pair of left and right lid plates (IG
(A track (1a) flush with the road surface of the conveyance path (1) that covers the pit by IQ, and a central slit (lb) that communicates with the pit through a gap between both cover plates (IG).

The track frame (8) is made of extruded material, and each side plate (
8a) An upward groove (8b) is formed in the flange portion at the upper end, and a plurality of locking pieces (10a) that engage with the groove (8b) are provided on the lower surface of each lid plate 00 at appropriate intervals. At the same time, attach the can lid 1iG to each side plate (8a), attach a lifting bar (10b) to the appropriate position of the can lid plate (IQ), and pull up the bar (10b) to The can lid plate (IO) is made removable, and channel grooves (8c) (8c) with a convex cross section that open upward are formed on both sides of the bottom of the track frame (8), and when the track frame (8) is buried. into each channel groove (
A plurality of nuts (H) are inserted in advance into the guide rail (9) from the longitudinal end of the track frame (8).
At its lower end flange (9a), attach the shim plate (
After seating the guide rail (8) on the bottom surface of the track frame (8) via the guide rail (9b), the bolt (12a) inserted through the clamp piece O that engages with the flange (9a) is screwed into the nut 01. 9) was tightened and fixed. In addition, the orbit frame (8
) has a longitudinal dovetail groove (
8d), and at the joint part of the front and rear track frames (8) <8), there is a dovetail that engages with the dovetail grooves (8d) (8d) of both track frames (8) (8), as shown in Figure 4. shaped joint member a
3 is provided, and a tightening bolt (13a) that can come into contact with the groove bottom of the yielding groove (8d) is screwed into the joint member 03, and the joint member q3 is tightened by the tightening reaction force of the bolt (13a). Crimp the inner surface of the groove with concession (8d), and attach the front and rear track frames (8).
(8) are aligned vertically and horizontally so that they can be connected.

The trolley body (3) has the markings shown in FIGS.
As shown in the figure, it is equipped with a movable frame aΦ that can freely swing in the vertical direction.
A housing-shaped casing (16
a), the track (1a
), and the drive wheel (7) is supported on the lateral side of the casing (16a).
) and a brake (117) on the other side.
18 was established.

The movable frame 0@ has a carriage main body (3) at its rear end.
The horizontal pivot (1) provided on the cross frame (3a) of
4a), the movable frame (IQ) is biased downward by a biasing means (14c) consisting of a coil spring at a tongue piece (14b) extending from the front end thereof, and the drive wheel ( 7) so as to be able to apply an appropriate ground load that does not cause slippage, and an operating member (14d) consisting of a bolt that is screwed into the tongue (14b), and by rotation of the operating member (14d). The movable frame a@ is biased by means (14
c) so that the drive wheel (7) can be lifted off the track (la). Further, the movable frame aΦ is attached to the pivot shaft (14a) by an elastic member (14e) consisting of a rubber bush.
), and even if the wheels (6) attached to the truck body (3) pick up the undulations of the road surface of the conveyance path (1) and the truck body (3) tilts in the width direction, the elastic member The elastic deformation of (14e) absorbs the tilt of the truck body <3, preventing the movable frame 0@ from tilting in the width direction, and the drive wheel (7) is stabilized on the track (1a) without tilting in the width direction. and grounded it. (141') indicates a cover plate attached to the top surface of the movable frame (IΦ).

G11l designates a guide member that engages with the guide rail (9) through a pair of guide rollers (19a) in the front and rear, and the guide member ('+') has a slit in the front part as shown in FIG. A connecting piece (19b) that protrudes onto the track (1a) through (lb) is erected, and the connecting piece (19b) is attached to a bracket (1Gb) protruding from the front surface of the casing (IGa) of the steering frame aO. The guide rail (9) rotates the steering frame (IG, that is, the drive wheels (7)) through the guide member (IFD), and also supplies power to the lower side of the guide rail (9). A path ■ and a collector ■ slidingly in contact with the power supply path ■ are provided on the guide member marked a, and the traveling motor (+7
1 and a drive motor (not shown) of the X-link mechanism (4).

Here, the connecting piece (19b) is connected to the bracket (1
The bracket (16b) shall be connected to the bracket (16b) by a pair of bolts Q3Q3 with nuts (Z3a) pivotally attached to the upper part of the bracket (13b) so as to be able to swing laterally, and the nut (23a)
The guide member a9 can be separated from the steering frame aO by loosening the bolts and swinging each bolt (2) laterally outward to the opening side.

In the illustrated example, the center of the arrangement pitch of the guide rollers (19a) before and after the guide member (1ω) coincides with the steering axis, but if the guide member a9 is placed on the leading side of the steering axis or on the tray. The guide rail (9) may be engaged with the ring side.

9 and 10, 12@ is the slit (
1b), and shows the link chain that engages with the truck body (3).
) at the rear of the chain C! Connector (24a) at the front end of Φ
) is provided with an engaging member (■) that can be freely engaged and detached from above, and the chain 12@ is dragged by the transport vehicle (2) to form a slit (lb).
When the following transport vehicle (2) approaches, a stopper (
24b), a stopper (19
c) came into contact with each other to prevent the following transport vehicle (2) from approaching any further, thereby preventing the vehicle bodies W mounted on the front and rear transport vehicles (2) from colliding with each other. In the figure (24c)
shows a guide roller attached to the chain QΦ so as to shift the upper surface of the guide rail (9). The engaging member (2) is configured so that it can be engaged and disengaged not only from the top side of the truck body (3) but also from the left and right sides via the link mechanism (25a).

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

The transport vehicle (2) has drive wheels (7) driven by a travel motor (+7).
), the drive wheels (7) move on the track by the guide rail (9) at the curved portion of the transport path (1) via the guide member 09 and the steering frame (IO). (la), a propulsive force along the track (1a) acts on the front part of the bogie body (3) via the drive wheels (7), and the bogie body (3) ) is guided to the slit (1b) via the engaging member (3) and the link chain QΦ, and thus the transport carriage (2) runs smoothly along the curved portion.

When the transport vehicle (2) breaks down, the guide member a is separated from the steering frame (IO), and then the movable frame aΦ is separated from the operating member (IO).
14d) to levitate the drive wheel (7), and at the same time pull up the engaging member (2) to separate it from the link chain Q. According to this, the carrier (2) can be moved freely, and since the carrier path (1) is formed flat over its entire width including the track (la), the carrier (2) can be moved freely.
) can be easily pushed to the side of the transport path (1) without getting caught.

In the above embodiment, the link chain @ for collision prevention was also used as the second guide member for guiding the transport vehicle (2), but a slit (tb
) or a dedicated guide member that engages with the guide rail (9) may be provided.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above description, according to the invention of claim 1, the steerability of the transport vehicle is improved, and the transport vehicle can run smoothly even on curved portions of the transport path. Moreover, the conveyance path is formed flat over its entire width, so that the conveyance path can be effectively used as a work space.

Further, according to the invention of claim 2, construction of the conveyance path becomes easy, and maintenance work in the pit where the guide rails are laid becomes easy.

According to the invention of claim 3, an appropriate ground load can be applied to the driving wheels so as not to cause slivers, and further, according to the invention of claim 4, the driving wheels can be stably grounded on the track, and the transport vehicle can be grounded stably. It can be stably driven by the rotation of the drive wheels.

Further, according to the fifth aspect of the invention, in the event of a failure of the transport vehicle, the transport vehicle can be easily removed from the transport path, and the line can be restarted without stopping for a long time.

Furthermore, according to the invention of claim 6, even if the conveyance path is complicatedly curved, the conveyance cart can be accurately moved along it, which has the effect of increasing the degree of freedom in designing the conveyance path. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an example of the device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the conveyance path, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the main part of the joint part of the track frame, Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of the front part of the transport vehicle, Figure 6 is its plan view, Figures 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views taken along the ■-■ line and ■-■ line in Figure 5, respectively. FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the rear portion of the transport vehicle, and FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X--X in FIG. 9. (1)...Conveyance path (1a)...Trajectory (1b
)...Slit (2)...Transportation truck (3)
...Body body (6) ...Wheels (1) ...
Drive wheel (8)...Track frame (8a)...Side plate (9)...Guide rail (IG...
Lid plate ('l@...Movable frame (14e)...
・Biasing means (14d)...operation member (14e)
...Elastic member (IO...Steering frame (+7)
・・Travel motor (+9)・Guide member■・・
・Link chain (second guide member) ■... 3 people other than the engaging member

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a trolley-type conveyance device in which a conveyance cart is self-propelled along a conveyance path, a pit is formed in the center of the width direction of the conveyance path, and a guide rail is laid within the pit. At the same time, a track that is flush with the road surface of a conveyance path covering the pit is formed on the upper surface of the pit, a slit communicating with the pit is formed in the center of the width direction of the track, and a At least the front wheels of a plurality of wheels installed so as to be in contact with the road surface of the conveyance path are constructed of caster wheels, and a steering frame rotatable around a vertical steering axis is pivotally supported on the trolley body. A driving wheel that touches the ground substantially directly below the steering axis on the track and a travel motor that rotates the driving wheel are attached to the steering frame, and a guide member that engages with and is guided by the guide rail is provided. A trolley-type conveying device characterized in that the guide member is connected to the steering frame through the slit. 2. The pit is formed by a substantially U-shaped track frame buried in the widthwise center of the conveyance path, and the upper ends of side plates on both sides of the track frame are opposed to each other with a gap forming the slit. 1
2. The trolley-type conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein a pair of cover plates are detachably engaged and the track is formed by both cover plates. 3. The trolley-type conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein the steering frame is pivotally supported by a movable frame provided on the trolley body and biased downward by a biasing means. 4. The movable frame is pivotally supported on the truck body at one front and rear end thereof so as to be swingable in the vertical direction, and an elastic member is provided at the pivot portion to allow tilting of the movable frame in the width direction with respect to the truck body. 4. The trolley-type conveyance device according to claim 3, characterized in that: 5. The trolley type according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the guide member is separable from the steering frame and further includes an operating member for pulling up the movable frame against the urging means. Conveyance device. 6. All of the wheels attached to the truck body are constructed of caster wheels, and a second guide member that engages with and is guided by the slit or the guide rail is provided, and the truck body is provided with a second guide member that is guided by engaging with the slit or the guide rail. The second part is spaced apart from the ring in the front and back direction 1.
6. The trolley-type conveyance device according to claim 1, further comprising an engaging member that can be freely engaged and detached from the guide member.