JPH03193226A - Method for detecting work - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the waste of time and labor by detecting the size of a work by means of detection of parts to be detected arranged successively in the transporting direction of a loader on the upper surface of a work table. CONSTITUTION:A detector 18 is provided on the loader 3 moving upper part of the work table 2. When the detector 18 moves on the upper part of the work table 2, the parts 9D, 9E to be detected arranged successively in the transporting direction of the loader 3 is detected on the upper surface of the work table 2 to detect the size of the work W. In this way, as soon as the loader returns to the upper part of the work table, the size of the work can be detected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a workpiece detection method applied to a plate loader in a plate processing line and loaders for various other works.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in plate processing lines such as punch presses and shearing machines, an erection rail (50) is constructed above the plate processing machine (57) and the work table (56) as shown in FIG. A plate material loader is used in which a loader (51) is suspended from an erection rail (50). The loader (51) is equipped with a large number of suction cups (54) on an elevating frame (53) that is raised and lowered by a fluid pressure cylinder (52), and a work table (56)
The upper plate-shaped workpieces (lla) are picked up one by one. The elevating frame (53) is provided with a plurality of proximity switches (55), and when the suction cup (54) is lowered to the level of the workpiece (Wa), the proximity switch is activated in proximity to the workpiece (Ha). The size of the workpiece (Wa) is detected by the number (55). By this size detection, the suction cup (54
), the suction cup (54) facing the workpiece (Wa)
), it is possible to adsorb the workpiece (Wa).

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The above-mentioned conventional technology uses a large number of proximity switches (55), which leads to disadvantages in that the number of detectors increases and the wiring thereof becomes complicated.

An object of the present invention is to provide a workpiece detection method that can detect the size of a workpiece in a simple manner.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In the workpiece detection method of the present invention, a detector provided on a loader that moves above the workbench detects an object on the top surface of the workbench while the loader is being conveyed to the workbench. The structure is configured to detect the size of the workpiece by detecting the detected parts arranged side by side in the direction.

(Function) The detector provided in the loader sequentially detects each detected portion on the upper surface of the workpiece table when the loader moves above the workpiece table. The number of detected parts varies depending on the size of the workpiece on the workbench, and the size of the workpiece is thereby detected.

(Example) An example will be described below based on the drawings. This embodiment is applied to a plate loader that supplies plate-shaped workpieces to a plate processing machine.

As shown in Figure 2, a rail (4) that guides the loader (3) extends above the plate processing machine (1) and work table (2).
are installed on pillars (5A) and (5B). The plate processing machine (1) consists of a turret punch press, a shearing machine, a laser processing machine, etc., and has a work table (1a).

The work table (2) consists of a hydraulic lifter (7) that is raised and lowered by a hydraulic cylinder (not shown), and a pallet (8) placed on the hydraulic lifter (7). Work table (2)
On the upper surface, that is, on the upper surface of the pallet (8), plate-shaped workpieces (W) are placed in a stacked state. work(
W), for example, the left end of the workpiece (W) is the pallet (8)
It is aligned near the left edge of . The loader (3) is
It is suspended from the rail (4) via a running roller (17) and connected to an endless chain (12) suspended between sprockets (10) and (11) at both ends of the rail (4). (10)
It is driven to travel by a motor (13) that drives the motor. The motor (13) and the control panel (22) are arranged on the column (5^).

The loader (3) has a lifting frame (15) that can be raised and lowered by a fluid pressure cylinder (14), and a large number of work holders (6^).
, (6B), (6C), (60), (6ε), and lifts the work (W) on the work table (2) above the work table (2) and lifts the work (W) on the work table (2). The workpiece (W) is transported by moving upward. Work holder (6A)
・(6F!>) consists of a suction cup that suctions the workpiece (W) using negative pressure, and a large number of suction cups are provided in the conveyance direction B shown in FIG.
Multiple work holders (6^) arranged in the direction of arrow C (
6ε), one is shown as a representative.

As shown in Fig. 1, in the range A (see Fig. 2) on which the workpiece (W) is placed on the upper surface of the work table (2), there are detected parts (9A), (9B), (9C) made of reflectors. ).

(90) and (98) are arranged side by side in the transport direction B. That is, a plurality of detection target parts (9^) and (91E) are embedded in the surface of the pallet (8) in parallel in the transport direction.

The lift frame (15) of the loader (3) has, for example, a detector (
18) is provided. The detector (18) consists of a reflective photoelectric switch, and as shown in Fig. 3, it includes a light-emitting element (19) that emits laser light, infrared rays, etc., a light-receiving element (20) such as a photodiode, and a light-receiving element. It consists of an amplifier (21) that amplifies the output of (20). Detector (18
) may use ultrasonic waves in addition to the optical method described above.

The output of the amplifier (21) is input to a pulse counter (24) via a waveform shaping circuit (23) in a control panel (22).

The operation of the above configuration will be explained. As shown in Figure 2, loader (
3) stops above the work table (2) and expands and contracts the fluid pressure cylinder (14) to move the work (W) onto the work holder (
6^) - Of (6ε), the workpiece (W) is attracted by the opposing workpiece holder and lifted. After this, loader (
3) moves to above the plate processing machine (1) and stops, expands and contracts the fluid pressure cylinder (14) again and lowers the workpiece (W) onto the worktable (1a). The loader (3) that has unloaded the workpiece (W) returns to above the workpiece table (2) and repeats the above operation.

More details will be explained based on the flowchart of FIG. That is, the loader (3) that has unloaded the workpiece (W) onto the plate processing machine (1) travels toward the workpiece table (2) (step nl).

Simultaneously with the travel, the light emitting element (19) continues to emit light (step n2), and detects the detected portion (9A)-(9th) that is not covered by the workpiece (W) (step n3).

When the loader (3) stops above the work table (2) (step n4), the pulse counter (24)
) to count the number of pulses output from step n5.
), the detected part (9A) - (92) are counted. Based on this count, the size of the workpiece (W) in the transport direction B is detected. In step n6), the control panel 22) operates the predetermined workpiece holders (6^) (6B) according to the above count. Then, the suction operation is performed (step n?).

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, two detected parts (90),
When the workpiece (W) is small enough to expose (9ε), the detector (18) detects two detected parts (9D) and (9F).
The control panel (22) controls the workpiece (W) by the three workpiece holders (6^) (6C) as shown in Fig.
) is adsorbed. As shown in Figure 5, all detected parts (9
If the workpiece W is large enough that ＾)-(9B> is not exposed, the detector (18) will not detect the detected part 9＾)-(9B)
is not detected, there is no detection output from the light receiving element (20), and the control panel (22) detects all work holders (6^)... (6B)
The workpiece (W) is adsorbed. In addition, as shown in Fig. 1, when the workpiece (W) is not placed on the pallet (8), the detector (18) detects all detected parts (9^) -
(9B'), detects that the workpiece W is not placed, and the control panel (22) makes the above-mentioned suction operation stand by, and supplies a new workpiece (W) to the workpiece table (2). I do.

In this way, when the loader (3) returns from the plate processing machine (1) to above the work table (2), the detector (18) detects the areas above each detected part (9A '') - (9E ''). Since they pass sequentially, a plurality of detected parts (9A'') to (9E) can be detected by one detector (18).Therefore, the number of detectors (18) can be reduced, and the detector ( 18)
Since the number of wiring is reduced, the detection device becomes simpler.

Moreover, since the detector (18) is moved onto each of the detected parts (9A)-(9B) using the movement of the loader (3) as it passes through the conveyance, the detector (18) itself is attached to the loader (3). The detector (18) can detect each detected part (9^>-(9B) without moving the head), which also simplifies the configuration.In addition, the detection by the detector (18) Therefore, there is no need to make the loader (3) perform any extra operations.
There are no problems with cycle time delays or complicated control.

In the above embodiment, the detector (18) is connected to the loader (3).
Although it is provided at a position passing directly above the detected portion (9^)-(9E) in , it is not necessarily necessary to provide it directly above. For example, the detected part consisting of a reflector (9^) - (9E
) may be inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, and the detector (18) may be provided obliquely above the detected portion (9^')-(9B).

Further, as in the other embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the light emitting element (19) and the light receiving element (20) of the detector (18) may be arranged apart from each other in the direction of the arrow C perpendicular to the transport direction B. good.

Further, in each of the embodiments described above, the number of detectors (18) is one, but for example, as in still another embodiment shown in FIG. 9E), and three detectors (18) may be provided in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction B (direction of arrow C). In this case, the work W
This has the advantage that it is possible to detect workpieces that are large or irregularly shaped not only in the transport direction B but also in the width direction (direction of arrow C).

Furthermore, in each of the embodiments described above, as shown in FIG. A detection section may also be provided.

Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the work table (2) was composed of a hydraulic lifter (7) and a pallet (8), but the work table (2) was composed of a hydraulic lifter (7) and a pallet (8).
2) may be a single pallet or a single hydraulic lifter, or may be constructed from a frame or a cart.

The detector (18) may be attached to the frame portion of the loader (3) or directly. The detected portion (9A) (9ε) may be a light emitting body or the like.

In addition, the loader (3) loads the workpiece (W) into the plate processing machine (1).
Instead of supplying workpieces (W) to a conveyor, it may be a conveyor.

Furthermore, the workpiece (W) is not limited to a plate material, but may be an ingot or the like.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the size of the work can be detected at the same time as the loader returns to the top of the work table.
This eliminates wasted time and effort.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a workpiece detection device employing the workpiece detection method to which the present invention is applied together with a loader and a cart, Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of a plate processing line to which the workpiece detection method is also applied, and Fig. 3 4 and 5 are diagrams showing the operation, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart diagram showing the order of operation.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment, FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing essential parts of still another embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a side view showing a conventional example. 2 Work table 3 Loader 8 Pallet 9^ (9E) Detected part 18 Detector B Conveying direction W Work

Claims (1)

[Claims] A detector provided on a loader that moves above the work table detects detected parts arranged side by side in the transport direction of the loader on the upper surface of the work table when moving above the work table. A workpiece detection method characterized by detecting the size of a workpiece with