JPH03251328A - Method for work or assembly of commodity - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform commodities supply without delay, by receiving the optical signal expressing the action state fed from a corresponding pallet feeding device, when an automatic machine comes to the connection position with each pallet feeding devices, and selecting the action according thereto. CONSTITUTION:The state signals transmitted at all times from the corresponding pallet feeding devices 20A1... are received via a 1st optical communication means L1, when the automatic machine such as a robot 12, performing the work or assembly of a commodity is traveled and comes to the connection position with each pallet feeding device 20A1.... It is then discriminated as to whether in accessible normal state, in an actual pallet input state to the pallet feeding device from an unmanned vehicle 22, in an actual pallet input defective state, in the replacing state of an empty pallet with the actual pallet to the commodity feeding position and in the state of the pallet located at the commodity feeding position being the last pallet, and the robot 12 selects the action corresponding thereto. The commodity feeding can thus be performed without delay and the robot access action mistake, etc. while under pallet replacing can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for feeding articles to automatic machines, such as robots, for processing or assembly.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-271636, a method is known in which articles are placed in a tray or the like and sequentially fed to a processing machine using a lifter.

The apparatus according to the method includes a tray box for arranging and storing a plurality of parts, a wagon that can stack the tray boxes in multiple stages and freely transport them on a flat surface, and a wagon and the tray box for storing the parts. a pallet stand device provided near the processing machine for movement to a handling position; a connecting means for coupling the wagon and the pallet stand device so as not to cause relative movement; a tray gripping device for holding the tray box on the wagon and carrying it in and out between the pallet stand device and the wagon;
The pallet stand device is provided with a lift device for vertically moving the tray box, a balance means for reducing the burden of the driving force for vertical movement of the lifter device, and the pallet box is installed in the pallet stand device. This is an automatic handling system device in a factory, which is equipped with a positioning means for positioning at a vertically moving position.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

Like the above-mentioned apparatus, in a method of supplying articles to an automatic machine such as a processing machine, articles are stored in pallets such as trays, the pallets are stacked, and the articles are sequentially supplied by elevator means such as a lifter. To supply the automatic machine without running out of goods, to accurately control the operation of each part so that the entire system will not be disrupted when the pallet runs out of goods, and to supply goods to the automatic machine. It is important to replenish the next pallet as soon as one pallet in a position becomes empty.

In view of the above points, one of the problems of the present invention is to arrange a plurality of article supply means for supplying articles to a robot that performs article processing work or article assembly work on the running path of the robot, By making the controller on the robot side or the central controller that controls the robot and each supply means recognize the operating state of each article supply means, the robot side or the central controller side can grasp the operating state of each supply means. Provides a method for processing or assembling articles that efficiently operates the entire device or system.

[Means and actions for achieving the task]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides a pallet supply method for processing or assembling an automatic machine such as a robot that processes or assembles articles, in which a pallet containing articles is moved to an article supply position for supplying articles to the automatic machine. Device 20Al
A plurality of pallet supply devices 20A, 20A2, . . . are arranged on the running path of the automatic machine, and
... indicates the operating status of each pallet feeding device A, A2... B1, B2,..., K1, K
2, .
We propose a method for processing or assembling articles, characterized in that the automatic machine recognizes the state of the pallet supply device and selects an operation according to the operating state of each pallet supply device based on the optical signal.

[Explanation of Examples]

1. Description of the entire assembly system including the pallet supply device.

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an assembly device 1 according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a robot side 2 seen from a cross section in two directions.
A and a side view of the pallet supply device 2B are shown.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 4 denotes a base to which a rail 8A on which a shuttle 6 carrying a robot moves is attached.

The shuttle 6 is loaded with articles, parts, etc. from a pallet that will be described later.
A robot 12 equipped with a hand 10 for picking up units, materials, etc., an assembly jig 14 for assembling the items picked up by the hand, a hand exchange table 16 for exchanging the hand 10 according to the purpose of assembly, and Controller 1 on the robot side for signal communication and signal control by connecting with the controller on the pallet supplying device side, which will be described later.
It is equipped with 8th class.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a method for processing or assembling an automatic machine such as a robot that processes or assembles articles, pallet supply devices 20A_1, 20A_2, which move a pallet containing articles to an article supply position for supplying articles to the automatic machine. A plurality of pallet supply devices 20A_1, 20A_2,... are arranged on the running path of the automatic machine, and each of the pallet supply devices 20A_1, 20A_2,...
・A state signal A_1, A_2, . . . , B_1, B_2, . . . representing the operating state of each pallet feeding device
K_1, K_2, ... are always transmitted by optical signals,
When the automatic machine comes to the connection position with each pallet supply device, it receives the optical signal and connects each pallet supply device A_1, A.
A method for processing or assembling articles, characterized in that the automatic machine recognizes the states of _2, .