JPH05106704A - Straight line motion mechanism with expanded stroke - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To treble the motion stroke of an output section to the input movement amount of a pinion on a fixed rack with a simple mechanism by fixing an end of a belt member in addition to a rack and pinion mechanism to a first frame and connecting the other end through the half-way part trained over a pulley to a second frame. CONSTITUTION:A pinion 5 is disposed on a rack 3, and movable racks 10 meshing with the pinion 5 are disposed on fixed racks 3 opposedly to each other. A pair of pulleys 14, 15 are mounted respectively to both front and rear ends of the movable rack 10. One ends of 16A, 17A of belt members 16, 17 disposed on the movable rack 10 are fixed to a first frame 6, and the halfway part 16B, 17B drawn out of the one ends 16A, 17A are trained over the pulleys 14, 15 and then the other ends 16C, 17C are connected to a second frame 12. Thus, when the pinion 5 moves on the fixed rack 3 by a distance L, a second belt member 17 and second frame 12 are moved by a distance 3L to the fixed rack 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stroke expanding linear motion mechanism using a rack and pinion mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-291305.
In order to transfer a load from a predetermined place to another place, it is required that the transfer device and the like shown in Japanese Patent Publication have a mechanism with a long stroke. A stroke extension linear motion mechanism utilizing a rack and pinion mechanism is known in FIG.

In the figure, a fixed rack 102 is fixed on a base 101, and a pinion 103 is engaged with the fixed rack 102 to move linearly on the fixed rack 102. A support bracket 104 is fixedly mounted on the base 101, and a pneumatic cylinder 105 is fixedly attached to the support bracket 104. The pinion 103 is rotatably supported by a support member 106 provided at the tip of a rod 105A of the pneumatic cylinder 105.

A movable rack 107 meshes with the pinion 103 and is arranged to face the fixed rack 102. Guide members 108, 109 are provided at the front and rear ends of the moving rack 107.
Is extended, and the guide members 108 and 109 are the base 10
It is movably supported by guide members 110 and 111 which are fixedly mounted on 1.

Due to the operation of the pneumatic cylinder 105, the pinion 103 linearly moves while rolling on the fixed rack 102. The rotation of the pinion 103 causes the movable rack 107 to linearly move on the pinion 103. At this time, when the pinion 103 moves on the fixed rack 102 by the distance L, the moving rack 108 reaches the position shown by the chain double-dashed line and moves by the distance 2L with respect to the moving amount L of the fixed rack 102.

[0006]

However, in the conventional stroke-expanding linear motion mechanism, the rack-and-pinion mechanism including the two racks, the fixed rack 102 and the movable rack 108, and the pinion 103 is used. Pinion 10
The moving rack 108 can secure a double moving stroke with respect to the moving distance of 3. However, if it is attempted to secure a triple moving stroke by using such a rack and pinion mechanism, the moving rack 108 is On the other hand, it is necessary to further provide an output section and to move this output section relative to the movable rack 108 by an appropriate drive means or drive transmission means, which complicates the apparatus.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to triple the moving stroke of the output section with respect to the input moving amount of the pinion on the fixed rack by a simple mechanism. It is to provide a stroke extension linear movement mechanism that can be extended and secured.

[0008]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A fixed rack; a pinion that meshes with the fixed rack to move linearly on the fixed rack; a first frame that supports the pinion and is movable along the longitudinal direction of the fixed rack; and a drive unit that applies rotational driving force to the pinion, A movable rack that meshes with the pinion and is arranged to face the fixed rack, a movable rack guide member that movably supports the movable rack, and a second frame that is guided to the movable rack so as to be relatively movable along the movable rack. Guide member, a second frame integrally provided with the second frame guide member, a pulley attached to a moving rack, one end of which is connected to the first frame, and an intermediate portion extended from one end is the above pulley. After being wound, the other end is provided with a belt member connected to reach the second frame.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a fixed rack, a pinion that meshes with the fixed rack and moves linearly on the fixed rack, and a first frame that supports the pinion and is movable in the longitudinal direction of the fixed rack. Driving means for applying a rotational driving force to the pinion, a movable rack that is engaged with the pinion and is arranged to face the fixed rack, a movable rack guide member that movably supports the movable rack, and a movable rack along the movable rack. A guide member for the second frame which is relatively movably guided, a second frame which is integrally provided on the guide member for the second frame, and a pair of pulleys which are respectively attached to the moving rack at a predetermined distance. One end is connected to the first frame, the middle part of the one end is wound around the one pulley, and the other end is connected to the second frame. And a second belt member, one end of which is connected to the first frame, and the other end of the pulley is wound around the other pulley, and the other end of which is connected to the second frame. It is characterized by

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the drive mechanism causes the pinion to move linearly while rolling on the fixed rack. The rotation of the pinion causes the movable rack to move linearly on the pinion, and the second frame integrated with the belt member also moves simultaneously with the movement of the movable rack.

At this time, the pinion moves a distance L on the fixed rack.
By moving only, the moving rack moves by a distance 2L with respect to the fixed rack (the moving rack moves by a distance L based on the pinion). Then, the belt member moves by a distance 2L with respect to the pinion in response to the movement of the moving rack by the distance L based on the pinion (the belt member moves by the distance L based on the moving rack).

Therefore, the pinion has a distance L on the fixed rack.
The second frame, which is integral with the belt member, moves a distance of 3 L with respect to the fixed rack. The same effect occurs in the invention according to claim 2.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 5, the stroke expanding linear motion mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to a transfer device.

1 to 3, reference numeral 1 is a transfer device to which the stroke expanding linear motion mechanism according to the present embodiment is applied. The transfer device 1 is a pair of fixed racks 3 fixed to a base 2. Have three. On the upper surface of the base 2, a pair of rails 4 and 4 respectively located outside the pair of fixed racks 3 and 3 are provided parallel to the fixed racks 3 and 3. On the fixed racks 3 and 3, there are arranged pinions 5 and 5 that mesh with the fixed racks 3 and 3 and move linearly. The pinions 5 and 5 are integrally connected via a drive shaft 5A.

Reference numeral 6 is a first frame, and this first frame 6
Has first frame guide members 6A, 6A guided by the rails 4, 4 on both left and right lower portions thereof.
The upper part is configured to be capable of reciprocating along the longitudinal direction of the fixed racks 3, 3 and also rotatably supports the drive shaft 5A.

A motor bracket 7 is attached to the first frame 6.
A drive means composed of a servo motor 8 is fixedly attached via a motor toothed pulley 8A provided on the servo motor 8 and a shaft toothed pulley 5B provided on the drive shaft 5A. Are connected via.

The movable racks 10, 10 are respectively engaged with the pinions 5, 5 and are arranged to face the fixed racks 3, 3, and the guide portions 10A are fixedly attached to the outer side surfaces of the movable racks 10, 10 integrally. , 10A are slidably supported by movable rack guide members 11, 11 fixedly provided on both sides of the first frame 6, respectively.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a pair of moving members 12 having an L-shaped cross section.
A second frame composed of A and 12A, each moving member 12
A and 12A have a pair of second frame guide members 13, 1
3 are integrally provided, and each second frame guide member 13 is slidably supported by a guide portion 10B provided inside the side surface of each movable rack 10.

A pair of pulleys 14, 14, 15, 15 are attached to the front and rear ends of the left and right movable racks 10, 10 at a predetermined distance. Then, on one side of each of the moving racks 10, 10, along the longitudinal direction thereof, the first
Belt members 16 and 16 are respectively arranged, one end 16A of the first belt member 16 is fixed to the first frame 6,
In this first belt member 16, one end 16A thereof is
The halfway portion 16B extended from the one side is the pulley 14 on one side.
After winding, the other end 16C is connected to the second frame 12. Second belt members 17, 17 are arranged on one side of each of the moving racks 10, 10 along the longitudinal direction thereof, and one end 17A of the second belt member 17 is fixed to the first frame 6, and In the belt member 17 of No. 2, the intermediate portion 17B fed out from one end 17A thereof.
After winding the other pulley 15, the other end 17C is connected to the second frame 12.

On the second frame 12, there is set a bucket 18 containing a predetermined conveyed product.
Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

For example, a case where the transfer device 1 is moved to the right from the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 (FIG. 4) will be described as an example. When the pinions 5 and 5 move on the fixed rack 3 by the distance L, the second frame 12 moves by the distance 3L with respect to the fixed rack 3, and the bucket 18 is also conveyed by the distance 3L. The details will be described below.

In the initial state, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the pinion 5 and the second frame 12 are at the position X0. If the servo motor 8 is driven from this state,
The rotational driving force is the toothed pulley 8 for the motor shown in FIG.
It is transmitted to the drive shaft 5A through A, the toothed belt 9, and the shaft toothed pulley 5B, and the drive shaft 5A rotates. This allows
The pinions 5 and 5 linearly move while rolling on the fixed racks 3 and 3. Moving rack 1 by rotation of pinions 5 and 5
0 and 10 linearly move on the pinions 5 and 5, and the belt members 16, 16 and 17, 17 also rotate and move clockwise via the pulleys 14 and 15 as the movable racks 10 and 10 move. ..

At this time, the pinions 5 and 5 at the X0 position
Moves on the fixed racks 3, 3 by a distance L and reaches the position X1, the moving racks 10, 10 at the position X0 move by a distance 2L with respect to the fixed racks 3, 3 and reach the position X2. (Movement rack 10,
10 moves by distance L). Then, the second belt members 17, 17 move by a distance 2L with respect to the pinions 5, 5 with respect to the movement of the distance L of the movable racks 10, 10 based on the pinions 5, 5, and reach the position X3. (Moving rack 1
The second belt members 17, 17 move by a distance L based on 0, 10.

Because, in the second belt member 17, one end 17A thereof is fixed to the first frame 6 and the other end 17C thereof is connected to the second frame 12 via the intermediate portion 17B around which the other pulley 15 is wound. Therefore, when the moving rack 10 linearly moves by a distance L with respect to the pinion 5 when the moving rack 10 linearly moves, the moving rack 10
The pulley 15 that moves by the movement of the pin plays the role of a moving pulley, and the portion of the second belt member 17 from the pulley 15 to the other end 17C moves the pinion 5 by 2L, which is twice the moving distance of the moving rack 10. Move as a reference. That is, the second belt member 17 moves by 2L, which is twice the moving distance L with respect to the moving distance L of the moving rack 10. In addition,
With the movement of the second frame 12 that is pulled by the second belt member 17 and moves, the first belt member 16 also rotates and moves following the second frame 12 via the pulley 14.

As described above, when the pinions 5 and 5 move on the fixed racks 3 and 3 by the distance L, the fixed racks 3 and 3 are moved.
On the other hand, the second belt members 17, 17 move by the distance 3L.

Then, when the servo motor 8 is rotated in the reverse direction again from the state shown in FIG. 4, in the order of FIG. 4 → FIG. 1 → FIG.
The pinions 5 and 5 move to the left, and by the same action as described above,
The second frame 12 moves to the left and reaches the state of FIG.
In this case, the pulley 14 serves as a moving pulley.

Therefore, for example, the transfer device 1 is adopted so as to be mounted on a vertical transfer device for a clean room in which a bucket loaded with parts such as semiconductors is mounted and is transferred in the vertical direction, and another transfer device for carriages is used. Bucket 1 mounted on top
8 is received in a state where the second frame 12 of the transfer device 1 is moved by 3 times the stroke from the initial state in FIG. 1, and the bucket 18 is placed on the second frame 12 while the second frame 1
Return 2 to the original initial state.

According to the above construction, the movable rack 10 with respect to the fixed rack 3 is constructed by the rack and pinion mechanism.
In addition to the movement of twice the stroke of the first belt member 1
6 and the second belt member 17, one end 16 thereof
A (17A) is fixed to the first frame 6 and the pulley 14
Since the other end 16C (17C) is connected to the second frame 12 via the intermediate portion 16B (17B) around which (15) is wound, the pulley 14 that moves by the movement of the moving rack 10
(15) functions as a moving pulley, and the second frame 12 integrated with the first belt member 16 and the second belt member 17 moves relative to the moving rack 10 by the linear movement of the moving rack 10. It becomes possible, and the moving rack 10
With respect to the movement of the distance L of the first belt member 16 and the second belt member 17 based on the moving rack 10.
Only L can be moved. Therefore, with respect to the movement of the pinion on the fixed rack 3 by the distance L, the second frame 12 can be moved by the distance 3L on the basis of the fixed rack 3. That is, a triple stroke can be secured.

Moreover, in order to move the first belt member 16 and the second belt member 17 relative to the moving rack 10, the pulleys 14 (15) function as moving pulleys.
The fact that the mobile rack 10 automatically moves is used. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a driving means other than the servo motor 8 that applies the rotational driving force to the pinion 5, and the structure can be simply configured.

In the present embodiment, the servo motor 8 is given as an example of the driving means, but the driving means is not limited to this, and for example, a pneumatic cylinder is fixedly mounted on the base 2 and the empty cylinder is provided. Pinion 5, 5 on the rod tip of the pressure cylinder
It is also possible to rotatably support the drive shaft 5A between and to reciprocate the pinions 5 and 5 by the operation of the pneumatic cylinder.

Further, in the present embodiment, the moving rack 1
A pair of pulleys 14 and 15 attached to the front and rear ends of 0 at a predetermined distance from each other are provided.
Although the first belt member 16 and the second belt member 17 are interposed between the first frame 6 and the second frame 12 via the fifth frame 5, the moving rack 10 is not limited to this mode. It is also possible to attach one pulley to one end and to interpose the first belt member 16 or the second belt member 17 between the first frame 6 and the second frame 12 via the pulley. In this case, the pinion 5 is attached to the fixed rack 3
After moving the belt member and the second frame 12 with respect to the fixed rack 3 by a distance 3L by moving the upper part by a distance L, the pinion 5 is moved to the opposite side.
On the other hand, the movable rack 10 moves in the opposite direction by the distance 2L, but the belt member is loosened and the second frame 12 is left behind, and is manually moved further by the distance L to restore the initial state. To be done.

In this embodiment, the movable racks 10 and 10 are fixed to both sides of the first frame 6 by the guide portions 10A and 10A fixedly attached to the outer sides of their respective side faces. It is slidably supported by the movable rack guide members 11 and 11 provided,
The mode for supporting the movable racks 10, 10 is not limited to this, and for example, as in the conventional example, guide members are provided at the front and rear ends of the movable racks 10, 10, respectively.
These guide members can be supported while being guided by a guide member fixedly mounted on the base 2.

Further, in the present embodiment, the transfer device 1 has been described as an example in which it is mounted on a vertical transfer device for a clean room in which a bucket loaded with parts such as semiconductors is mounted and is transferred in the vertical direction. The transfer apparatus 1 is not limited to this, and can be applied to a case where a product conveyed on a belt conveyor of a factory is received, for example.

Further, in the present embodiment, an example in which the stroke expanding linear motion mechanism is applied to the transfer device 1 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be used in, for example, mechanical devices. it can.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In addition to the double-stroke movement of the moving rack with respect to the fixed rack by the rack and pinion mechanism, one end of the belt member is fixed to the first frame, and the other end is connected to the second frame via the middle part around which the pulley is wound. Since they are connected, the pulley that moves by the movement of the moving rack functions as a moving pulley, and the linear movement of the moving rack allows the second frame integrated with the belt member to move relative to the moving rack. With respect to the movement of the moving rack by the distance L, the belt member can be moved by the distance 2L based on the moving rack. Therefore, with respect to the movement of the pinion by the distance L on the fixed rack, the second frame can be moved by the distance 3L with the fixed rack as a reference. That is, a triple stroke can be secured.

Moreover, in order to move the belt member relative to the movable rack, it is used that the pulley functions as a moving pulley and the movable rack automatically moves. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide drive means other than the drive means for applying the rotational drive force to the pinion, and the structure can be easily configured.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a transfer device to which a stroke expanding linear motion mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the transfer device.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the transfer device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of an operating state of the transfer device.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of an operating state of the transfer device.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a conventional stroke expanding linear motion mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Fixed Rack 5 Pinion 6 1st Frame 8 Servo Motor (Drive Means) 10 Moving Rack 11 Moving Rack Guide Member 14 Pulley 15 Pulley 16 First Belt Member 16A One End 16B Middle Part 16C Other End 17 Second Belt Member 17A One end 47B Midway part 17C Other end

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A fixed rack, a pinion that meshes with the fixed rack and moves linearly on the fixed rack, a first frame that supports the pinion and is movable along the longitudinal direction of the fixed rack, and a rotational driving force is applied to the pinion. Drive means for giving, a movable rack that is engaged with the pinion and is arranged to face the fixed rack, a guide member for a movable rack that movably supports the movable rack, and a guide for relative movement to the movable rack along the movable rack. A second frame guide member, a second frame integrally provided with the second frame guide member, a pulley attached to a moving rack, one end of which is connected to the first frame and which is being extended from one end A portion for winding the pulley, and a belt member having the other end connected to the second frame after the pulley is wound. . 2. A fixed rack, a pinion that meshes with the fixed rack and moves linearly on the fixed rack, a first frame that supports the pinion and is movable along the longitudinal direction of the fixed rack, and a rotational driving force is applied to the pinion. Drive means for giving, a movable rack that is engaged with the pinion and is arranged to face the fixed rack, a guide member for a movable rack that movably supports the movable rack, and a guide for relative movement to the movable rack along the movable rack. A second frame guide member, a second frame provided integrally with the second frame guide member, a pair of pulleys attached to the moving rack at a predetermined distance, and one end of which is the first frame. The middle part of the pulley connected to one end is wound around the one pulley and the other end is connected to the second pulley.
The first belt member connected to the frame and one end of which is connected to the first frame, and the middle part of which is extended from one end winds the other pulley, and the other end is second
A stroke-expanding linear motion mechanism comprising a second belt member connected to a frame.