JPH05301186A - Coupler for automatic tool replacement - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a coupler for automatic tool replacement which has a compact size, a large loading capacity, and a smooth connecting/disconnecting function, and can avoid the driving of a robot arm in an imperfect connecting condition. CONSTITUTION:The first unit 1 is composed of a thick plate form main body 1a and a hanging part 1b projecting doward from the main body 1a, a vertical cylinder is composed by providing a piston 30 movable up and down, and an output shaft 31 is provided at the lower side of the piston. While eccentric rotation plates 4 are provided on both sides of the output shaft of the hanging part, a linear movement/rotating movement converting mechanism to rotate the eccentric rotation plates following the up and down movement of the output shaft is placed, eccentric rotation plates are rotated to the engaging position or to the engagement releasing position with the second unit 2, and thereby, the first unit and the second unit are connected or separated. The detector of the first sensor S1 is faced to detect the eccentric rotation plates at the engaging position, while the detector of the second sensor S2 is faced to the position to detect the piston when the eccentric rotation plates are at the engagement releasing position.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic tool change coupler including a first unit attached to an output section for a robot, and a second unit on the work side having a tool connected to the first unit. It is about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an automatic tool change coupler of this type, there are, for example, those shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and 6, and these couplers include a cylinder 80 and an engaging member in a first unit 1. 82, and an output shaft 8 of the cylinder associated with an air supply port (supply of air to the connection port A or the disconnection port B) to the cylinder 80.
The locking / disengaging tool 82 is moved by the extension / contraction of 1, and the engaging / disengaging of the moved locking tool 82 and the hook 20 on the side of the second unit 2 causes the second unit 2 to move with respect to the first unit 1. The unit 2 is connected and disconnected.

Of the above, the coupler shown in FIG. 4 is configured by accommodating the cylinder 80 in the concave portion 10 of the first unit 1 in a horizontal position and the engaging member 82 by an eccentric rotating plate of a fan-shaped plate. Then, as shown by the solid line and the chain double-dashed line in the same figure, the eccentric rotating plate is made to project and retract from the opening provided in the constituent wall of the recess 10 by the extension and contraction of the output shaft 81 in the lateral direction. The engagement / disengagement with the hooking portion 20 on the side of the unit 2 is made possible.

On the other hand, the coupler shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is
A vacant room 11 is provided in the first unit 1 and the vacant room 11
A piston 92 is vertically arranged inside the vertical cylinder 90 to form a vertical cylinder 90, and an output shaft 91 provided on the lower surface of the piston 92 is projected downward from the vacant chamber 11. Then, a pair of link mechanisms, which are locking members 82, are provided at the lower end of the output shaft 91, and the output ends of the link mechanism are separated and approached by the vertical movement of the output shaft 91. The engagement between the end and the hook portion 20 on the side of the second unit 2 is made possible.

However, in the former case, although the force corresponding to the weight of the second unit 2 side and the tool (not shown) attached thereto, that is, the load capacity is sufficient, it is accommodated in the recess 10 due to the structure. The effective diameter of the cylinder 80 that can be formed cannot be increased, and the engagement release force between the locking tool 82 (the eccentric rotation plate) and the hooking portion 20 (the rotation speed of moving the locking tool 82 in the releasing direction). Since the power is small, the locking tool 82 (the eccentric rotation plate) and the hook portion 2
There is a problem that the engagement with 0 is not released smoothly, and in the latter case, the effective diameter of the cylinder 90 can be made large to some extent, so that the locking device 8
Although the engagement between the eccentric rotation plate 2 and the hook portion 20 is smoothly released, the weight on the second unit 2 side almost directly acts on the output end of the link mechanism 93, so that the load capacity is not so large. It had a problem that it could not be big. (Problem 1) Furthermore, in this type of coupler, in order to avoid driving of the robot arm in an incompletely connected state, the eccentric rotation plate 4 has an appropriate position (the eccentric rotation plate 4). Is located at an engaging position with the hooking portion 20) or at an engagement releasing position. Specifically, one of the proximity sensors is used to detect the hooking portion. 20 is detected, and the engagement tool 8 which is disengaged from the hook portion 20 by the other proximity sensor.
2 is to be detected.

However, the proximity sensor is the first
Since it is relatively large compared to the second units 1 and 2, the coupler itself becomes large. ...
(Problem 2) Nowadays, many manipulators are used in the production line, and it is desired to develop a tool changer that solves the above problems 1 and 2.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, according to the present invention, an automatic tool which is small in size, has a large load capacity, operates smoothly in the attaching / detaching mechanism, and can avoid driving the arm of the robot in an imperfectly connected state. An object is to provide a replacement coupler.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a first unit and a second unit as well as the first unit.
The unit is composed of a thick plate-like main body and a hanging portion projecting downwardly from the main body, and the main body is provided with a vacant chamber having a large planar area, and a piston is vertically movably provided in the vacant chamber to form a vertical type A cylinder is configured, the piston is provided with an output shaft on the lower surface side, and the output shaft is projected downward from the empty chamber in an airtight state. Eccentric rotation plates are provided on both side portions, and a direct-rotation-rotation conversion mechanism for rotating the eccentric rotation plate with the vertical movement of the output shaft is interposed between the eccentric rotation plate and the output shaft. A coupler of the type in which the output shaft is moved up and down to rotate the eccentric rotation plate to an engagement position or an engagement release position, thereby connecting and separating the first unit and the second unit. In the main body An accommodating portion equipped with a first sensor and a second sensor is provided on a side portion of the vacant chamber, and a detecting portion of the first sensor is faced to a position where the eccentric rotating plate at the engaging position can be detected. The detection portion of the second sensor faces a position where the piston can be detected when the eccentric rotation plate reaches the disengagement position.

[0009]

The present invention operates as follows. In the coupler for automatic tool change of the present invention, since the main body of the first unit is provided with an empty space having a large planar area, and the piston is vertically movable in this empty space to form a vertical cylinder. Even if the first unit is small, the vertical power of the output shaft is large.

The engaging member which is brought into engagement with the hook portion of the second unit is composed of an eccentric rotating plate, and the load force applied to the eccentric rotating plate from the second unit is mainly the first. Since it acts as a compressive force between a point on the eccentric rotation plate that is in contact with the hook portion of the two units and the shaft at the rotation center of the eccentric rotation plate, the relationship between the eccentric rotation plate and the hook portion is large. The force in the rotating direction for releasing the engagement is extremely small.

Therefore, as the output shaft moves up and down, the eccentric rotation plate is smoothly rotated forward and backward through the linear motion-rotation conversion mechanism, so that the first unit 1 and the second unit can be attached and detached. The eccentric rotation plate has a smooth force and a force capable of sufficiently blocking the engagement release force.
Further, in this coupler, since the first sensor and the second sensor are provided in the side portion of the empty chamber in the main body, upsizing can be avoided, and the detection portion of the first sensor is eccentric at the engagement position. Since the rotation plate is positioned so that it can be detected, and the detection portion of the second sensor is positioned so that the piston can be detected when the eccentric rotation plate is in the disengaged position, the incomplete connection state The drive of the robot arm can be reliably avoided.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The structure of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings shown as embodiments. As shown in FIG. 1, the coupler for automatic tool change of this embodiment includes a tool-side second unit 2 mounted on a mounting table 7 and a so-called floating device F.
And a first unit 1 attached to the arm A of the robot via.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first unit 1 comprises a circular thick plate-shaped main body 1a and a hanging portion 1b projecting downward from the main body 1a. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the main body 1a is a cylindrical vacant chamber 1 having a large planar area.
1 (set to a diameter of about 3/5 of the diameter of the main body 1a)
In addition, a vertical cylinder S is constructed by vertically arranging a piston 30 in the empty chamber 11 and an output shaft 31 having the piston 30 provided on the lower surface side is provided in the empty chamber 11.
From the above, it projects downward in an airtight manner. Then, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
1, the lower side of the piston 30 serves as the connection port A and the upper side serves as the cut-off port B, and the piston 30 is cut off from the connection port A side by the compression coil spring 32 provided outside the output shaft 31. It is urged to the side.

As shown in the figure, the hanging portion 1b is formed by hanging the hanging pieces 12, 12 at regular intervals, and is eccentrically rotated by a shaft 13 installed near both ends of the hanging pieces 12, 12. A plate 4 is rotatably arranged. Mechanism 5 for rotating the eccentric rotating plate 4 by the vertical movement of the output shaft 31 described above.
As the (corresponding to the linear motion-rotation conversion mechanism in the column of means), as shown in FIG. 3, an H member 50 having an H shape in a plan view, which is attached to the lower end of the output shaft 31 so as to be rotatable only in a minute amount. (A pair of plate members 51 are connected at the central portion) and the plate member 5
It is composed of a small pin 52 provided near both ends of 1, 51 and a guide long hole 40 provided in the eccentric rotating plate 4 and into which the small pin 52 is fitted, as shown in FIG. When air is supplied to the connection port A from the state and the output shaft 31 moves upward, the eccentric rotation plate 4 moves the shaft 1 as shown in FIG. 4 due to the relationship between the small pin 52 and the elongated guide hole 40.
It is designed to rotate about 3.

The outer peripheral surface of the eccentric rotating plate 4 is shown in FIG.
In the state shown in FIG. 3, the second unit 2 has an engagement surface 41 that comes into contact with the pin-shaped hooking portion 20 provided on the second unit 2. From the axis 31 to the center of the shaft 31 is small and the end side b
It is a gentle curve with a large distance from to. Therefore, the engagement and disengagement of the eccentric rotation plate 4 and the hook portion 20 with the rotation of the eccentric rotation plate 4 become smooth.
The second unit 2 is, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first unit 1
A recess 21 for accommodating the hanging portion 1b at the time of connection with is provided and a hooking portion 20 as described above.

As shown in FIG. 3, a vertical hole-shaped accommodation portion 18 and a lateral hole-shaped accommodation portion 19 are provided at the side portion of the chamber 11 in the main body 1a, and the accommodation portion 18 is provided.
The first sensor S1 is mounted on the housing portion 19 and the second sensor S2 is mounted on the housing portion 19 so that the detection portion of the first sensor S1 faces a position where the eccentric rotation plate 4 in the engagement position can be detected. At the same time, the detection portion of the second sensor S2 faces the position where the piston 30 can be detected when the eccentric rotation plate 4 is at the disengagement position.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first unit 1 is
Is provided with a female connector C1 for electrical connection and a female connector C3 for air / oil / water path connection, and the second unit 2 includes a male connector C2 and a female connector C3 connected to the female connector C1. A male connector C4 to be connected is provided, and further, the first and second units 1 and 2 are provided with a taper pin T1 and a guide hole T2 for realizing reliable connection of the connectors C1, C2, C3 and C4. I am allowed to do it.

Since the automatic tool change coupler of this embodiment is constructed as described above, it has the following actions. That is, the cylinder S serving as a drive source for the eccentric rotation plate 4
Is the main body 1 of the first unit 1 because its effective diameter is large.
Even if a is small, the vertical power of the output shaft 31 is large, and the locking member that engages with the hook portion 20 of the second unit 2 is composed of the eccentric rotation plate 4. The eccentric rotation plate 4 and the hook portion 2 corresponding to the weight of the second unit 2 side.
The engagement release force with respect to 0 (rotational force in the releasing direction) is small.

Therefore, as the output shaft 31 moves up and down, the eccentric rotation plate 4 is smoothly rotated forward and backward through the mechanism 5, so that the attaching and detaching operation of the first unit 1 and the second unit 2 is smooth. In addition, a force capable of sufficiently blocking the disengagement force acts on the eccentric rotation plate 4. Further, as shown by the solid line and the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 3, since the first sensor S1 and the second sensor S2 are provided on the side portion of the vacant chamber 11 in the main body 1a, it is possible to avoid an increase in size, When the detection portion of the first sensor S1 faces the position where the eccentric rotation plate 4 in the engagement position can be detected and the detection portion of the second sensor S2 moves the eccentric rotation plate 4 to the disengagement position. Since the piston is positioned so that it can be detected, it is possible to reliably avoid driving the arm A of the robot in an incompletely connected state.

In the above embodiment, the linear motion-rotation conversion mechanism in the column of means is constructed as described above. However, the invention is not limited to this. For example, a rack is provided on the output shaft 31 side and eccentricity is provided. A part of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating plate 4 may be used as a pinion gear, and the linear motion-rotation converting mechanism may be configured by meshing these, or another known configuration may be adopted.

[0021]

The present invention having the above-mentioned structure has the following effects. From the contents described in the action column,
It was possible to provide an automatic tool change coupler that is small in size, has a large load capacity, operates smoothly in the attachment / detachment mechanism, and can avoid driving the robot arm in an incompletely connected state.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing an automatic tool exchanging coupler of an embodiment of the present invention attached to an arm of a robot, and a stand for mounting a second unit of the automatic tool exchanging coupler.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first unit and a second unit in the automatic tool changing coupler.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection state / separation state of a first unit and a second unit in the automatic tool changing coupler.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a conventional automatic tool changing coupler.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another conventional automatic tool changing coupler when the first unit and the second unit are in a separated state.

6 is a first view of the automatic tool change coupler of FIG. 5;
Sectional drawing when a unit and a 2nd unit are in a connection state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 S Cylinder S1 1st sensor S2 2nd sensor 1a Main body 1b Hanging part 1 1st unit 2 2nd unit 4 Eccentric rotation plate 7 Mounting table 11 Vacancy 18 Storage part 19 Storage part 20 Hook part 30 Piston 31 Output shaft

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first unit and a second unit, and the first unit is composed of a thick plate-shaped main body and a hanging portion projecting downwardly therefrom, and the main body has a planar area. A large empty chamber is provided and a piston is vertically movable in this empty chamber to form a vertical cylinder. And an eccentric rotation plate is provided on both side portions of the output shaft in the hanging portion, and an upper and lower sides of the output shaft are provided between the eccentric rotation plate and the output shaft. A linear motion-rotation conversion mechanism for rotating the eccentric rotation plate in accordance with the movement is interposed, and the output shaft is moved up and down to bring the eccentric rotation plate to the engagement position or the engagement release position with the second unit. Let it rotate, A coupler for connecting / separating a first unit and a second unit, comprising a housing part equipped with a first sensor and a second sensor in a side part of a vacant chamber in the above-mentioned main body, The detection part of the sensor is faced to a position where the eccentric rotation plate at the engagement position can be detected, and the detection part of the second sensor is set to a position where the piston can be detected when the eccentric rotation plate is at the disengaged position. Coupler for automatic tool change characterized by facing.