JPH04269133A - Method and device for positioning work - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a method and device for positioning a work in which a set position of a regulation member for regulating a side motion of a work rear end part can be changed easily and properly in case a width is changed by change of a sort of the work. CONSTITUTION:In moving a work 2 positioned and transferred on a first transfer means 3 to a work holding member 9 at a second transfer means 4, a pair of a right and a left positioning pins 24 provided at one end part of the work holding member 9 are inserted into reference holes 41 formed in a bottom surface of the work 2 to position one end part of the work 2, and a regulation member provided at the other end part of the work holding member 9 is displaced to slide along the width of the work to be pressed to an outer side surface of the work 2, so the second transfer means 4 is moved up, with the side motion of the other end part of the work 2 regulated, to move the work 2 to the work holding member 9.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention is used in an automobile assembly line, etc., to suspend a workpiece, such as an automobile body, carried by a first conveying means such as a chain conveyor installed on the floor. The present invention relates to a workpiece positioning method and apparatus for positioning the workpiece when transferring the workpiece onto a second conveying means equipped with a conveying hanger or the like.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-82884, a reference hole is formed in the front bottom of a body main body of a hanger of an overhead conveyor provided on an automobile assembly line. A positioning pin inserted into the body body and a regulating piece abutting on the outer surface of the side sill portion of the body body are provided, and the front end of the body body is restrained by the positioning pin to position the body body in the transport direction and the width direction, and the The rear end of the body is restrained by a regulating piece to prevent the body from being tilted.

The above-mentioned conventional device has screw holes for attaching a plurality of reference pins formed in the workpiece mounting portion of the hanger, and a screw shaft that slidably supports the above-mentioned regulation piece, and has a screw hole for attaching a plurality of reference pins formed in the workpiece mounting portion of the hanger, and a screw shaft that slidably supports the above-mentioned regulation piece. The installation position of the positioning pin and the regulating piece is configured to be adjusted in accordance with changes in the model of the main body.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional device having the above structure, the reference pin screwed onto the workpiece holding member of the hanger is removed every time the type of workpiece to be transported changes, and the reference pin is inserted into a different mounting screw hole. The installation position of the reference pin must be adjusted by screwing it into the holder, and the screw shaft that supports the restriction piece must be rotated to feed the restriction piece. There is a problem that the work is complicated. Further, if the installation position of the regulating piece is shifted, accurate positioning cannot be performed when transferring the workpiece, and there is a problem that the workpiece cannot be transported in an appropriate state.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to transfer the workpiece in an accurately positioned state on the workpiece holding member of the second conveyance means, and also to To provide a workpiece positioning method and device capable of easily and appropriately adjusting the installation position of a regulating member that restricts lateral movement of the rear end of the workpiece when the width dimension changes due to changes, etc. The purpose is to

[0006]

[Means for solving the problem] The invention according to claim 1 is:
In a workpiece positioning method for positioning the workpiece when transferring the workpiece in a positioned state by the first transporting means onto the workpiece holding member of the second transporting means, the left and right After positioning one end of the workpiece by inserting a pair of positioning pins into the reference holes formed on the bottom of the workpiece, the regulating member provided at the other end of the workpiece holding member is slid in the width direction of the workpiece. The workpiece is transferred onto the workpiece holding member by raising the second conveyance means while restricting lateral movement of the other end of the workpiece by pressing against the outer surface of the workpiece. .

[0007] Furthermore, the invention according to claim 2 is arranged such that the regulating member provided on the workpiece holding member of the second conveying means is brought into pressure contact with the side sill portion of the workpiece made of the body of the automobile. It is designed to restrict lateral movement.

[0008] Furthermore, the invention according to claim 3 is provided in the work holding member of the first conveyance means for conveying the workpiece in a positioned state and the second conveyance means for transferring the workpiece from the first conveyance means. The positioning device includes a pair of left and right positioning pins that are inserted into reference holes formed in the bottom surface of the workpiece at one end of the workpiece holding member, and a pair of left and right positioning pins that are inserted into the reference holes formed in the bottom surface of the workpiece at the other end of the workpiece holding member. The control member is provided with a regulating member installed at a position facing the workpiece, and a driving means for slidingly displacing the regulating member in a direction in which the regulating member is brought into pressure contact with the outer surface of the workpiece.

The invention according to claim 4 also provides a pair of left and right positioning pins, which are inserted into reference holes formed in the bottom surface of the workpiece made of the body of an automobile, at one end of the workpiece holding member of the second conveyance means. and a regulating member that is pressed against the outer surface of the side sill portion of the body main body is provided at the other end of the work holding member.

Further, the invention according to claim 5 provides width direction position adjustment means for slidingly displacing the installation position of the positioning pin provided at one end of the workpiece holding member in the width direction of the workpiece, and A longitudinal position adjusting means for slidingly displacing the regulating member provided at the end in the longitudinal direction of the workpiece is provided.

[0011]

[Operation] According to the invention according to claim 1, after one end of the work is positioned by inserting the positioning pin provided at one end of the work holding member into the reference hole of the work, the work holding member The regulating member provided at the other end is pressed against the side surface of the work, so that the lateral movement of the other end of the work is regulated and the work is properly positioned when the work is transferred to the first conveying means. From there, the workpiece is transferred onto the workpiece holding member of the second transport means.

[0012] Furthermore, according to the invention according to claim 2,
By press-contacting the regulating member to the side sill portion of the workpiece consisting of the body of the automobile, the body can be transferred with the rear part of the body properly positioned.

[0013] Furthermore, according to the invention according to claim 3,
The positioning pin of the workpiece holding member is inserted into the reference hole of the workpiece to position one end of the workpiece, and the drive means slides the regulating member to press it against the outer surface of the workpiece, thereby positioning the other end of the workpiece. The workpiece can be appropriately transferred from the first conveyance means onto the workpiece holding member of the second conveyance means while lateral movement is restricted.

[0014] Furthermore, according to the invention according to claim 4,
The workpiece is transferred with the workpiece consisting of the body of the automobile positioned at an appropriate position on the workpiece holding member.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the invention according to claim 5,
When the width dimension of the workpiece changes due to changes in the model of the workpiece, etc., the installation position of the locating pin can be adjusted according to this dimensional change using the width direction position adjustment means, and the positioning pin can be adjusted according to the dimensional change. The installation position of the regulating member in the length direction of the workpiece can be adjusted by the length direction position adjusting means.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of a workpiece positioning device according to the present invention installed in an automobile assembly line. The above-mentioned assembly line includes a first conveying means 3 consisting of a chain conveyor or the like that conveys a workpiece 2 consisting of an automobile body placed on a pallet 1 along the floor, and a first conveying means 3 installed above the first conveying means 3. A second conveying means 4 is provided. The second conveying means 4 includes a traveling frame 5 supported by a support frame (not shown), a guide rail 6 installed on the outer surface of the traveling frame 5, and a traveling frame 5 supported by the guide rail 6 so as to be freely movable. It has a truck 7 and a pair of left and right workpiece holding members 9 supported by lifting guides 8 provided on the sides of the traveling truck 7.

The traveling truck 7 includes a traveling roller 10 that rolls on the guide rail 6, and a traveling drive section 12 that causes the traveling truck 7 to travel along a rack gear 11 installed on the inner surface of the traveling frame 5. It is provided with an elevating drive unit 13 that drives the workpiece 2 up and down together with the workpiece holding member 9, and is configured to transport the workpiece 2 supported by the workpiece holding member 9 along the guide rail 6.

The work holding member 9 includes an elevating post 14 that is supported by the elevating guide 8 so as to be able to rise and fall freely, a pair of left and right front and rear frames 15 attached to the lower ends of the elevating post 14, and A column 16 protruding from the lower surface of the front end, and a first column provided at the lower end thereof.
It is equipped with a workpiece placement section 17 and a second workpiece placement section 18 disposed behind the workpiece placement section 17, and both workpiece placement sections 17 and 18 move along the virtual line in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the workpiece 2 is lifted up and down between the lower limit position located below the workpiece 2 transported by the first transporting means 3 and the upper limit position where the workpiece 2 is lifted from the pallet 1, as shown by the solid line in FIG. configured to be displaced.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first workpiece mounting section 17 includes a base plate 19 fixed to the lower end of the support column 16, and a support shaft 20 provided on the base plate 19. a support plate 21 supported pivotably about the support shaft 20; a guide rail 22 installed on the support plate 21; and a slide plate 23 supported slidably by the guide rail 22. A positioning pin 24 protruding from the upper surface of the tip of the slide plate 23 and a slide drive cylinder 25 that slides and displaces the slide plate 23 along the guide rail 22.
and a swing drive cylinder 26 that swings and drives the slide plate 23 about the support shaft 20 as a fulcrum. Then, by rotating the support plate 21 according to the driving force of the rotation drive cylinder 26, the support plate 21 and the slide plate 23 are moved to the side of the conveyance section of the workpiece 2, as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. As shown in the solid line in FIG. 3 and in FIG. 4, the sliding plate 23 is oscillated between the retracted position and the mounting position in which the tip of the slide plate 23 is located below the workpiece 2. .

When the width dimension of the work 2 to be transported changes, the slide drive cylinder 25 slides the slide plate 23 along the guide rail 22 to accommodate the change in dimension of the work 2. This is to displace the installation position of the positioning pin 24 in the width direction of the work 2. Further, as shown in FIG.
A detection means 27 such as a limit switch for detecting that the workpiece 2 has been transferred onto the workpiece 7 is attached by a bracket 28 .

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the second workpiece mounting section 18 includes a column 30 that is slidably supported by a guide rail 29 installed on the lower surface of the front and rear frames 15, and a column 30 that supports the column 30. A displacement cylinder 31 that slides in the transport direction of the workpiece 2 along the guide rail 29 to displace its installation position, a base plate 32 fixed to the lower end of the support column 30, and a base plate 32 provided on the base plate 32. A support shaft 33, a support plate 34 rotatably supported around the support shaft 33, a guide rail 35 installed on the support plate 34, and a slide plate supported slidably by the guide rail 35. 36, a regulating block 37 protruding from the upper surface of the slide plate 36, a slide drive cylinder 38 for slidingly displacing the slide plate 36 along the guide rail 35, and a slide plate 3 with the support shaft 33 as a fulcrum.
6.

Then, by slidingly displacing the column 30 along the guide rail 29 in accordance with the driving force of the displacement cylinder 31, the installation position of the first mounting portion 18 is adjusted as shown in FIG.
The support plate 34 is moved back and forth to any position between the rear end position shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 7 and the front position shown by the solid line in FIG. , the support plate 34 and the slide plate 36 are swung between a retracted position where the support plate 34 and the slide plate 36 are retracted to the side of the conveyance section for the work 2 and a mounting position where the tip of the slide plate 36 is located below the work 2. It is designed to be displaced.

Further, the slide plate 36 is normally in a retracted position where the regulating block 37 is separated from the outer surface of the workpiece 2, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 38 in the width direction of the workpiece 2, and as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. It is configured to be slidably displaced.

In the above configuration, when the workpiece 2 transported by the first transporting means 3 is transferred to the second transporting means 4, the workpiece 2 transported together with the pallet 1 is transferred to the workpiece transfer section of the second transporting means 4. At the point in time, the driving of the first conveying means 3 is stopped. Next, by lowering the workpiece holding member 9 of the second conveying means 4 by the lifting drive unit 13, the first mounting section 17 and the second mounting section 18 are moved to the position shown in FIG.
After lowering the support plate 21 of the first mounting section 17 to the lower limit position shown by the imaginary line in FIG. The support plate 34 of the placement section 18 is pivoted to the placement position shown in FIG.

Then, by raising the workpiece holding member 9 along the lifting guide 8 by the lifting drive unit 13, the positioning pin 2 of the first mounting unit 17 is moved up as shown in FIG.
4 into the reference hole 41 formed on the lower front surface of the workpiece 2, that is, the lower surface of the front end of the floor panel of the body main body, thereby positioning the front portion of the workpiece 2 in the longitudinal direction and the width direction, Above positioning pin 2
4 is inserted into the reference hole 41 by the detection means 27, the lifting operation of the workpiece holding member 9 is stopped.

Next, the slide drive cylinder 38 of the second mounting section 18 slides the slide plate 36 toward its distal end, and as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. is brought into pressure contact with the rear outer surface of the workpiece 2, that is, the outer surface of the side sill portion 43 of the main body, and then the slide drive cylinder 38 is stopped to restrict the movement of the workpiece 2 in the width direction, and the above-mentioned lifting and lowering is performed. The work holding member 9 is further raised by the drive unit 13. As a result, the workpiece 2 is transferred from the pallet 1 of the first conveying means 3 to the first placing portion 17 of the second conveying means 4.
Then, it is transferred onto the second mounting section 18 and lifted to the upper limit position as shown by the solid line in FIG.

Thereafter, the traveling drive section 12 causes the traveling cart 7 to travel along the guide rail 6 to transport the workpiece 2 to the delivery position, and then the workpiece holding member 9 is lowered to place it on the floor. The workpiece 2 is transferred to an installed third transport means (not shown) or the like.

As described above, by sliding the regulating member consisting of the regulating block 37 provided at the rear of the workpiece holding member 9 in the width direction of the workpiece 2 by the drive means consisting of the slide drive cylinder 38, the positioning of the regulating block 37 can be performed. Since the stepped portion 40 is brought into pressure contact with the rear outer surface of the workpiece 2 to restrict movement of the rear part of the workpiece 2 in the width direction, the workpiece 2 held on the first conveyance means 3 may be slightly misaligned in its installation position. Even if there is a manufacturing error in the workpiece 2, the positioning step 40 can be brought into reliable contact with the rear outer surface of the workpiece 2, and thereby the positioning step 40 can be moved from the first conveyance means 3 to the second conveyance means 4. When transferring the workpiece 2, it is possible to easily and effectively prevent the installation position from being largely shifted. Furthermore, when the model of the workpiece 2 changes, the amount of movement of the regulation block 37 in the width direction is adjusted by changing the drive stroke of the slide drive cylinder 38 in accordance with the change in the widthwise dimension of the workpiece 2. As a result, the positioning step portion 40 can be controlled to reliably come into contact with the rear outer surface of the workpiece 2.

In the above embodiment, an adjusting means consisting of a slide drive cylinder 25 for slidingly displacing the installation position of the positioning pin 24 provided at the front part of the workpiece holding member 9 in the width direction of the workpiece 2 is provided. work 2
without the need for complicated work such as attaching and detaching positioning pins and changing their mounting positions according to changes in the width dimension of the
There is an advantage that the installation position of the positioning pin 24 can be adjusted easily and quickly. Further, in the above embodiment, the second mounting portion 18 provided at the rear of the workpiece holding member 9
Further, an adjusting means is provided which includes a displacement cylinder 31 that slides and displaces the installation position of the regulation block 37 in the length direction of the workpiece 2, and the displacement cylinder 31 adjusts the installation position of the second mounting section 18 in the length direction of the workpiece 2. Since the control block 37 is configured to be displaced to a position suitable for positioning the rear part of the work 2 when the lengthwise dimension of the work 2 changes due to a change in the model of the work 2, the installation position of the restriction block 37 can be adjusted to a position suitable for positioning the rear part of the work 2. can do.

In the above embodiment, the workpiece 2 is lifted from the pallet 1 of the first conveyance means 3, which is a chain conveyor installed on the floor, and transferred to the second conveyance means 4, which conveys the workpiece 2 in a suspended state. As shown in FIG. 9, for example, as shown in FIG. The positioning method and positioning method according to the present invention can also be used when transferring a work onto the second pallet 52 of the second conveying means and transporting the work in the direction of arrow b while positioning the work on the second pallet 52. The configuration of the device can be applied.

[0031]

Effects of the Invention As explained above, in the present invention, when a workpiece is transferred from the first conveyance means to the workpiece holding member of the second conveyance means, the workpiece placed on the first conveyance means is Even if the position of the workpiece 2 is misaligned or there is a manufacturing error in the workpiece, the regulating member provided on the workpiece holding member can be firmly pressed against the outer surface of the workpiece 2 to easily and effectively prevent the installation position of the workpiece from shifting significantly. This method has the advantage that it is possible to easily and properly position the workpiece by preventing problems from occurring, and it is also possible to always position the workpiece appropriately even when the width of the workpiece changes due to changes in the model of the workpiece, etc. be.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of a workpiece positioning device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the positioning device.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2 showing the configuration of the first mounting section.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the first mounting section.

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line BB in FIG. 3, showing the configuration of the first mounting section.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 2 showing the configuration of the second placing section.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the second mounting section.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of main parts showing the configuration of the second placing section.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 Work 3 First conveyance means 4 Second conveyance means 9 Work holding member 24 Positioning pin 25 Slide drive cylinder (width direction position adjustment means) 31 Displacement cylinder (length direction position adjustment means) 3
7 Regulation block (regulation member) 38 Slide drive cylinder (drive means) 41 Reference hole 43 Side sill part

Claims (5)

[Claims] Claims: 1. A workpiece positioning method for positioning a workpiece when transferring the workpiece, which has been transported in a positioned state by a first transporting means, onto a workpiece holding member of a second transporting means, wherein one end of the workpiece holding member is After positioning one end of the workpiece by inserting a pair of left and right positioning pins provided on the workpiece into the reference holes formed on the bottom of the workpiece, insert the regulating member provided on the other end of the workpiece holding member in the width direction of the workpiece. The second conveying means is raised to transfer the workpiece onto the workpiece holding member while the other end of the workpiece is restricted from moving laterally by sliding the workpiece into pressure contact with the outer surface of the workpiece. A workpiece positioning method characterized by: 2. A regulating member provided on a work holding member of the second conveying means is brought into pressure contact with a side sill portion of the work made of the body of an automobile, thereby regulating lateral movement of the rear part of the body. The method for positioning a workpiece according to claim 1, characterized in that: [Claim 3] A first unit that transports the workpiece in a positioned state.
A positioning device provided on a work holding member of a conveying means and a second conveying means to which a work is transferred from the first conveying means, the positioning device being provided at one end of the work holding member and on the bottom surface of the work. In addition to providing a pair of left and right positioning pins to be inserted into the reference hole, a
A workpiece positioning device comprising: a regulating member installed at a position facing the outer surface of the workpiece; and a drive means for slidingly displacing the regulating member in a direction in which the regulating member is brought into pressure contact with the outer surface of the workpiece. 4. A pair of left and right positioning pins are provided at one end of the workpiece holding member of the second conveying means to be inserted into reference holes formed in the bottom surface of the workpiece made of the body of an automobile, and the workpiece holding member 4. The workpiece positioning device according to claim 3, further comprising a regulating member at the other end that is pressed against an outer surface of the side sill portion of the body main body. 5. Width direction position adjusting means for slidingly displacing the installation position of a positioning pin provided at one end of the workpiece holding member in the width direction of the workpiece, and a regulating member provided at the other end of the workpiece holding member. 4. The workpiece positioning device according to claim 3, further comprising longitudinal position adjusting means for slidingly displacing the workpiece in the lengthwise direction.