JPH0246491B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The disclosed technology belongs to the technical field of efficiently loading a plurality of necessary parts onto a hanger of a loading conveyor in an assembly factory or the like.

Therefore, the present invention is used in automobile assembly plants, etc., to transfer empty hangers at the attachment/detachment site to a loading conveyor attached to the hanger suspended from the parts supply trolley conveyor so as to be able to rotate freely along the parts shelf. is,
This invention relates to a method of loading parts onto a parts supply conveyor of a line, in which a loading parts display provided on the hanger is detected, a predetermined number of corresponding parts are loaded from a parts shelf, and the parts are transferred to a transfer section to a trolley conveyor. In particular, a code such as a bar code indicating the loaded parts is attached to the hanger, the code is read by a code reader such as a bar code reader, and the reading signal is used to place the corresponding part on the parts shelf. A lamp lights up and the parts are taken out one by one in accordance with this. The lamp goes out to confirm the order in which the parts are taken out, and a photoelectric sensor installed in the hanger detects the position of the loading worker and makes the hanger follow the worker, so that the hanger is always in the same position as the hanger. This invention relates to a method of loading parts onto a parts supply conveyor in a line that minimizes the distance between workers and allows efficient loading.

<Prior art> As is well known, for example, in an automobile assembly factory, a large number of parts are passed through the main assembly line,
They are assembled on supply lines, but because the conveyors on these lines operate in a synchronous cycle and because they produce large quantities of different products, it is necessary to supply different combinations of parts to each conveyor. .

In this case, in one subline, as shown in Fig. 1, multiple parts A ₁ , A ₂ . . . B ₁ , B ₂ , . . . To load each part in a different combination of parts, each hanger is transferred to an empty hanger stock section 4 by a well-known detachment device 3 at a hanger attachment/detachment site, and an operator 5 sequentially visually checks a different loading parts display card for each hanger. Then, take out the corresponding parts from the parts display kanban on parts shelf 1,
Load it onto the hanger, load it onto the loading conveyor 6,
A well-known hanger loading device 8 was used to transfer and feed the filling material on the trolley conveyor 2 via the filling hanger stock section 7.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> Therefore, first of all, it is assumed that the worker 5 performs a human detection act of visually recognizing the parts display card on the hanger and the Kanban board on the parts shelf 1, which may lead to misidentification. This may lead to mistakes in loading parts, resulting in incorrect or missing parts.Also, due to the limitations of visual recognition, it is difficult to load one set at a time. In addition, there are some drawbacks, such as loading onto a suspended hanger.
Not only does the cumulative walking distance become extremely long, making it extremely inefficient, but it also causes fatigue.
There was an inconvenience that this fatigue could actually reduce the accuracy of visual detection.

The purpose of the present invention is to solve the technical problem of loading parts onto the hanger of a trolley conveyor based on the above-mentioned prior art, and to solve the problem by attaching an optically detectable loaded parts display code such as a bar code to the hanger. Read the parts with a code reader such as a barcode reader, display the corresponding parts on the parts shelf with a lamp to display the loaded parts reliably and quickly, and make the hanger optically follow the worker so that the worker is always informed. It is an object of the present invention to provide an excellent method for loading parts onto a part supply conveyor in a line that can be efficiently loaded by following the shortest distance, thereby benefiting fields in which conveying technology is used in various manufacturing industries.

<Means for Solving the Problems> In order to solve the above problems, the structure of the present invention, which is based on the scope of the preceding claims, is as follows:
The hanger is transferred from the trolley conveyor to the loading conveyor, the loaded parts display of the hanger attached to the hanger is detected, and the parts corresponding to the loaded parts displayed are manually taken out from a plurality of parts shelves attached to the loading conveyor. A method of loading parts onto a hanger on a parts supply conveyor, in which a code reader detects a display code for parts to be loaded on the hanger attached to the hanger, reads the code using a computer, and displays the parts shelf corresponding to the code. The lamp is turned on, and each indicator lamp is turned off after the relevant parts are loaded onto the hanger. During this time, a photoelectric sensor installed on the hanger detects the position of the loading worker and the loading conveyor is controlled via the control device. This is a method of loading parts onto a parts supply conveyor in a line in which the hanger follows the worker so as to minimize the distance between the hanger and the worker by controlling the drive device of the machine. .

<Operation> Empty hangers suspended from the trolley conveyor are branched and transferred to the empty hanger stock section by the attachment/detachment device, and then transferred to the loading conveyor in order. At this time, the loaded parts display code attached to the hanger is read by a code reader. The operator reads the read code and uses a computer to turn on the lamps of the corresponding parts on the parts shelf, and the worker takes out the lamp-lit parts one by one or all at once, and the lamps of the parts taken out photoelectrically turn off. On the other hand, a photoelectric sensor installed on the hanger detects the worker's work and operates the loading conveyor via the drive unit to minimize the distance between the worker and the hanger, thereby efficiently minimizing the time. This technology takes the shortest possible loading distance and transfers the hanger from the loading conveyor to the trolley conveyor via the loading device from the filling hanger section.

<Embodiment> Next, one embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings from FIG. 2 onwards.

Note that the same parts as in FIG. 1 will be explained using the same reference numerals.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, reference numeral 2 is a trolley conveyor, and an endless type loading conveyor 6' attached to the parts shelf 1 is connected to an empty hanger stock section 4 through a well-known detachment device 3, as shown in FIG. The hangers 9 are arranged to be stocked and are each affixed with a label 10 of the well-known bar code indicating the loading part code synchronized with the line cycle.

Therefore, as shown in Fig. 2, the loading conveyor 6'
A well-known photoelectric camera barcode reader 11 is installed at a predetermined location between the and the parts shelf 1 that does not interfere with the operator 5.
is provided to detect the barcode 10 on the hanger 9, and is appropriately connected to a computer 12 such as a microcomputer.

On the other hand, each part A ₁ , A ₂ , ...B ₁ , B ₂ ... on the parts shelf 1
D shows a lamp 13,1 having a photoelectric switch such as a light emitting diode or a phototransistor (not shown).
3... are provided and connected to the computer 12, and are turned on when detected by the barcode reader 11, and turned off each time the worker 5 puts his/her hand in and out.

Reference numeral 14 denotes an optically followable hanger, which constitutes one of the other features of the present invention, and is suspended from the loading conveyor 6' and is capable of suspending the hanger 9 from below.

The optical tracking hanger 14 is equipped with optical sensors R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ , which incorporate a light emitting and light receiving mechanism consisting of twin light emitting diodes and phototransistors.
Three sensors 15, 15, and 15 are arranged horizontally in a row, and a detection signal is inputted to a converter 17 via an arithmetic unit 16 serving as a control device.

The driving force output signal from the converter 17 is adapted to rotate the motor of the driving sprocket 18 of the loading conveyor 6' in forward and reverse directions.

In this case, as shown in Figure 6, the motor drive control is ○ for detection and × for non-detection.If _R1 sensor is detected, the worker is moving too far and +, and if _R3 is detected, the following hanger 14 is detected. This is done by indicating that there is an empty hanger stock section 4 or hanger section 7 with R ₂ being detected and optimum tracking being J, and all being non-detected and stopped with W being the case of too much pressure.

Therefore, empty hanger 9 is removed by trolley conveyor 2.
are fed, temporarily stored in the empty hanger stock section 4 by the attachment/detachment device 3, and then suspended from the follower hanger 14 of the loading conveyor 6'.

Thereupon, the barcode 10 attached to the hanger 9 is immediately detected by the barcode reader 11, the code of the loaded parts is read through the computer 12, and the lamps 13, 13, etc. on the parts of the parts shelf 1 corresponding to the read code are read. lights up.

Therefore, worker 5 starts with parts shelf 1 in order from the front.
The parts are taken out and loaded onto the hanger 9 one after another or all at once.

In this case, the lamps 13, 13, . . . on the parts shelf 1 go out one after another once a hand is put in and taken out by the photoelectric switch and a predetermined part is taken out.

Moreover, the optical sensor 15,1 of the follower hanger 14
5, 15... detect the movement of the worker 5, and control the loading conveyor 6' so as to always maintain the shortest distance from the worker 5 based on the control shown in FIG. 6 mentioned above.

Incidentally, since the worker 5 actually walks from the front side of the ramps 13, 13, etc., the follower hanger 14 also moves only forward, but if the worker unexpectedly makes a mistake in taking out a part and returns. Of course, the follower hanger 14 moves backwards.

In this way, when all the lamps 13... are turned off, that is, when loading is completed, the loading conveyor 6' transfers the follow-up hanger 14 to the charging hanger stock section 7, and the hanger 9 is loaded into the parts loading section. state and returns to the initial empty hanger stock section 4.

The hangers 9 in the charging hanger stock section 7 are then transferred to the trolley conveyor 2 via the loading device 8 by well-known means and transported to the assembly line.

Further, the above-mentioned loading of parts is repeated in the empty hanger stock section 4.

It goes without saying that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various embodiments can be adopted, such as the loading conveyor may be a self-propelled type integrated with a follow-up hanger.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, according to the present invention, the loaded parts attached to the hanger suspended from the trolley conveyor are transferred to the loading conveyor attached to the parts shelf. By having a photoelectric code reader read the displayed code and using a computer to turn on the lamp of the corresponding component on the component shelf, basically if the loaded component differs depending on the hanger, the electro-optical device will automatically read the displayed code. Since the code is read and the lamp is displayed, it is possible for the operator to check the parts taken out without making a mistake.
An excellent effect is achieved in that product assembly errors due to missing parts do not occur.

Since the hanger is attached with a display code for the parts loaded on the hanger, there is no need to sort the loaded parts using a central computer, etc., which makes the system simpler, easier to manage and control, and lower costs. It has the advantage of being easier to control and operate.

In addition, when taking out parts, since a lamp is lit on the parts shelf, it is only necessary to take out the lamp-lit parts in order from the front side, making the taking out operation and work extremely easy, and in that respect, there is no mistake in taking out parts. effective.

Further, when the hanger is transferred from the trolley conveyor to the loading conveyor, a photoelectric sensor on the follower hanger of the loading conveyor detects the operator's component loading operation and is controlled to always keep the distance between the two to the shortest. As a result, whether the worker loads each part or all parts at once, the walking distance for loading the hanger is significantly shortened, which in turn shortens the working time and has the excellent effect of increasing work efficiency and efficiency. Ru.

Furthermore, since one set can be loaded, assembly efficiency is improved and man-hours are also reduced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a component hanger loading mode based on the prior art, Fig. 2 and the following are explanatory diagrams of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the entire loading process, and Fig. 3 is a follow-up diagram. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the hanger, FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of the optical sensor, FIG. 5 is a schematic control circuit diagram of the optical sensor, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the optical sensor and the position detection of a worker. 2...Trolley conveyor, 9...Hanger, 6'...Loading conveyor, 10...Loading parts display (code), 1
...Parts shelf, 11...Code reader, 12...Calculator,
13... Display lamp, 15... Photoelectric sensor, 5... Operator, 16... Control device, 18... Drive device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Transfer the hanger from the trolley conveyor to the loading conveyor, detect the loaded parts display of the hanger attached to the hanger, and manually take out the parts corresponding to the loaded parts display from multiple parts shelves attached to the loading conveyor. In a method of loading parts onto a parts supply conveyor in which the parts are loaded onto a hanger, a code reader detects the display code attached to the hanger to display parts to be loaded on the hanger, reads it using a computer, and displays an indicator lamp on the parts shelf corresponding to the code. is turned on, and each indicator lamp is turned off after the relevant parts are loaded onto the hanger. During this time, a photoelectric sensor installed in the hanger detects the position of the loading worker and the control device controls the loading conveyor. A method of loading parts onto a parts supply conveyor in a line, characterized in that the hanger moves following the worker so as to minimize the distance between the hanger and the worker by controlling a drive device.