JPH0344382Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a conveyance device for synchronously conveying objects to be welded between stations on a welding line.

(Prior Art) Recently, in the automobile industry, there is a demand for shortening the transport takt time in a welding line.

By the way, as a conventional example of a conveyance device in a welding line, as seen in Japanese Patent Application No. 138885/1985, for example, a train that is guided by a rail laid in the space above the welding line and goes back and forth between each station. 2. Description of the Related Art A device is known in which a workpiece to be welded is suspended from a hook and transported from a preceding station to a subsequent station.

In the conveyance device, the objects to be welded are transferred by moving up and down the jigs arranged at each station.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, as mentioned above, in the conventional conveying device, the jig must be moved up and down in order to transfer the workpiece. This took time and was an obstacle to shortening the conveyance takt time.

In addition, since the objects to be welded are hung with hooks, the positioning accuracy is low and it takes time to position the objects to the welding position, which also poses an obstacle to shortening the transport tact. I was getting used to it.

Furthermore, due to the above-mentioned problems in the delivery and positioning of objects to be welded, there was a problem in that it was difficult to synchronize the plurality of trains moving between each station.

As a means to solve such problems, it is conceivable to provide the above-mentioned electric train with a clamping means.

However, installing heavy objects such as clamps on trains increases the inertia of the train, making it difficult to stop the train in a fixed position, as well as significantly increasing wear on the rails. This will cause problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a transport device for a welding line that uses a method different from the conventional method to improve the positioning accuracy of objects to be welded and shorten the time required for transferring the objects to and from the jig.

(Means and actions for solving the problem) In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, in the present invention, instead of the train, a swing arm that pivots around a rotating shaft installed between each station is provided. , each swing arm is synchronized by a common drive device to swing between the front stage station and the rear stage station, and the workpiece to be welded is gripped by a clamp device provided at the tip of each swing arm.

Specifically, assuming a transport device in a welding line that transports workpieces from a previous station to a subsequent station, a rotary shaft installed between each station, and a rotary shaft installed on the rotary shaft, respectively, a swing arm capable of rotating around the rotation axis; a clamp means provided at the tip of the swing arm for gripping the workpiece; a pinion attached to the rotation axis; and a welding line. a rack member extending along the axis and meshing with each of the pinions; a drive means for reciprocating the rack member to swing the swing arm between the front station and the rear station; and an intermediate portion of the swing arm. and lift-up means for supporting the swing arm and moving the swing arm up and down to raise and lower the clamp means to a transport position and a delivery position.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the attached drawings.

1 and 2 show one unit of the conveying device of the present invention.

The conveying device 1 includes two rotating shafts 2, 2, which are vertically installed in the intermediate part between each station, and two rotating shafts 2, 2,
It has a pair of swing arms 3, 3 fixedly attached to the swing arms 2, respectively. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, a fixing member 4 is erected at the intermediate portion between each station, and brackets 5, 5, . . . are provided at the upper and lower ends of the fixing member 4.
The rotating shaft 2 is rotatably supported, and the swing arm 3 can swing between the front station and the rear station around the rotating shaft 2 (A-- in FIG. 1). movement in the A′ direction).

Further, each of the swing arms 3 moves up and down (as shown in FIG.
(B-B' direction), so that the tip of the swing arm 3 can take a swing position H and a delivery position L.

A clamping means 8 is attached to the tips of the swing arms 3, 3 via shafts 7, 7, and a parallel link mechanism is formed between the clamping means 8, the pair of swing arms 3, 3, and the fixing member 4. It is configured.

The clamping means 8 has a fixed claw 9, a movable claw 10, and an actuating cylinder 11, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The movable claw 10 is able to swing freely around a shaft 12, and is connected to a cylinder rod 11 of an operating cylinder 11, so that it can move toward and away from the fixed claw 9 by expanding and contracting the cylinder rod 11. . The workpiece W to be welded is gripped by cooperation between the movable claw 10 and the fixed claw 9.

A pinion 13 is fixed to the lower end of each rotating shaft 2, and the pinion 13 is connected to a rack member 14, respectively.
It's meshing with each other.

As shown in FIG. 5, the rack member 14 extends along the welding line and is guided by rollers 15, 15, . . . to be able to reciprocate in the C-C' direction. The drive unit 14 is connected to the drive unit 14 . The drive device 14 is composed of a hydraulic cylinder etc.
Due to the operation of this drive device 14, all the swing arms 3, 3, . . . are rotated synchronously.

A lift-up device 17 is disposed below the intermediate portion of the swing arm 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the lift-up device 17 includes a plate frame 8a that accommodates a support plate 18 that contacts the lower surface of the swing arm 3, a link 19, and a second drive device 20. , link 19,
The drive devices 20 are connected by pins 21 and 22, respectively.

The link 19 is rotatably supported by a support member 24 via a shaft 23, and the second drive device 20 is rotatably supported by a fixed bracket 26 via a pin 25. The second drive device 20 is composed of a hydraulic cylinder or the like. By the operation of the second drive device 20, all the swing arms 3 are moved up and down to the swing position H and the delivery position L.

Each plate frame 18a is connected to the swing arm 3.
The support plate 18 is slidable along the plate frame 18a. The support plates 18 are integrally connected to each other by rods 27 extending along the weld line, so that all the support plates 18 move synchronously.

The operation of the transport device 1 will be explained below, but first, each station 30 shown in FIG.
A jig (not shown) for raising and lowering the workpiece W to be welded between the delivery position L and the welding position is disposed at the positions 35 and 35.

As shown in FIG. 5, each swing arm 3 is located at the front stage station.

When welding is completed at each station 30, etc., the work to be welded W is moved to the delivery position L by the upward movement of the jig.
clamping means 8 at the delivery position L.
The workpiece W to be welded is delivered to. That is,
The swing arm 3 is moved downward by the operation of the second drive device 20, and after the clamp means 8 is set at the delivery position L, the workpiece W to be welded is gripped by the operation of the actuation cylinder 11 of the clamp means 8. will be done. Thereafter, the second drive device is activated again, and the swing arm 3 is moved upward and set to the swing position H.

Next, a drive device 16 for driving the rack member 14
As a result of this operation, the swing arm 3 swings to the latter stage station, and the workpiece W to be welded is transported.

When the swing arm 3 arrives at the latter station, the second drive device 20 starts operating, and the workpiece W is lowered to the delivery position L.
It is delivered to a waiting jig. Of course, when the jig descends and reaches the welding position, the workpiece W
Welding begins.

The swing arm 3, which has delivered the workpiece W to be welded at the latter stage station, moves upward to the turning position H, and then swings to the former stage station in order to receive the workpiece W again.

Thereafter, by repeating the above operation, the workpieces W to be welded are sequentially and synchronously transported to the subsequent station.

In this embodiment, since the swing arms are rotated and moved up and down by a common drive device, each swing arm can be accurately synchronized.

(Effects of the invention) As explained above, according to the invention, the clamp means is provided at the tip of the swing arm, and
Since the work to be welded is transported by the rotation of the swing arm using a rack and pinion mechanism,
Accurate positioning and synchronized transport of objects to be welded are possible.

In addition, the swing arm moves up and down at each station to transfer the workpiece to and from the jig, eliminating the need for the conventional lifting and lowering of the jig to transfer the workpiece. Conveyance tact can be sufficiently shortened.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the conveying device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a right side view of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the clamping means attached to the tip of the swing arm, and Fig. 4 is a FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the clamp mechanism indicated by arrow X in the figure, and a plan view of the welding line. 1: Transfer device, 2: Rotating shaft, 3: Swing arm, 8: Clamp means, 13: Pinion, 14:
Rack member, 16: Drive device, 17: Lift-up device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] In a transport device in a welding line that transports workpieces from a preceding station to a subsequent station, a rotating shaft installed vertically between each station, and a rotating shaft installed on the rotating shaft, respectively. a swing arm which is rotatable around the rotation axis; a clamp means provided at the tip of the swing arm for gripping the workpiece; pinions each attached to the rotation axis; a rack member extending along a line and meshing with each of the pinions; a drive means for reciprocating the rack member to swing the swing arm between the front station and the rear station; A conveyance device for a welding line, comprising: lift-up means that supports an intermediate portion and moves the swing arm up and down to raise and lower the clamp means between a conveyance position and a delivery position.