JPH06135555A - Stacker for straight pipe-form work - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contrive labor-saving and complete automation for operations of stacking on a tray or the like by elastically pinching a line of fixed pieces of glass pipes to be fed in order with a pair of chuck plates. CONSTITUTION:This stacker is composed of an alignment conveyor part 2 conveying a line of straight tube-form glass tubes 1 continuously in order in the orthogonal direction, and a chuck driving part 4 pinching the fixed pieces of these conveyed glass tubes elastically with a pair of chuck plates 3 and automatically steppedly stacking them on a tray 5 or a work alignment storage means. In addition, an inclined ramp 6 delivering the glass tube 1 in a unit of plural constant pieces and ensuring the stacking operations and a chute 7 both installed there. One line constant glass tubes 1 supplied to the ramp 6 rolls down to the chute 7 with its own weight by 6 going up of the ramp, and thereby both ends are pinched by the paired chuck plates 3. Then, the chute 7 separates from the downside of the glass tubes 1, and the chuck plates 3 go down in keeping the constant glass tubes 1 pinched intact, thereby stacking the glass tubes 1 on the tray 5 stepwise.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stacking device for straight tube type works such as straight tube type fluorescent lamps and glass tubes thereof, which are aligned in a predetermined number and stacked in a plurality of stages.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a pre-process of a manufacturing process for coating a fluorescent lamp glass tube with a phosphor, a large number of bundled straight tube type glass tubes are unpacked and taken out one by one.
There is an aligning stacking process in which a plurality of constant units are stacked in a work aligning and accommodating means such as a tray and sent to a coating process. This alignment stacking process is conventionally performed in the following two ways.

In the case of glass tubes which are so-called cap-packed and factory-shipped by covering both ends of glass tubes bundled in a small number of units, one worker unpacks the cap packing for one packing. Then, the glass tubes are inserted one by one into the work aligning and accommodating means, for example, trays, and stacked in nearly 10 stages. Also, in the case of glass tubes that are shipped from the factory with a large number of glass tubes of hundreds or more stored in a container, so-called container packing, multiple workers unpack the container and convey the glass tubes from the container. Moved to the top and stacked glass tubes from the conveyor on trays using a specific hand jig.

[0004]

However, the work of manually stacking a large number of glass tubes on a tray or the like is poor in workability because the glass tubes are easily damaged and requires careful handling. It is a major obstacle to realizing the realization. In addition, manual stacking work of glass tubes packed in containers requires a lot of manpower, making rationalization and automation of fluorescent lamp manufacturing equipment difficult.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to
It is an object of the present invention to provide a stacking device for straight tube type works which safely and automatically stacks even easily broken things such as glass tubes of fluorescent lamps on a tray.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a plurality of straight pipe-shaped works are continuously fed, and a constant number of works in the fed state are clamped from both ends thereof and taken out, and automatically fed to a tray or the like. The above-mentioned objects are achieved by stacking them in layers. Specifically, the present invention provides an aligning and conveying section that continuously feeds straight pipe-shaped workpieces in a line in the orthogonal direction, and a plurality of consecutive predetermined workpieces that are carried into a predetermined position by the aligning and conveying section. A pair of parallel chuck plates that clamps elastically collectively from both ends can be opened and closed in the approaching and separating directions, and between a predetermined upper limit position that clamps the work and a plurality of stepwise positions below it. A pair of chuck plates for holding a work of a constant number in a row, the work plate is lowered while holding the work, and the bottom of the work alignment storage means or the work alignment storage. The operation of stacking and supplying onto the same number of works previously supplied to the means is repeated.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a work transfer lift table having an inclined upper surface on which the works fed by the above-mentioned aligning and conveying section are rolled by their own weight to be aligned and held by a predetermined number. When the lifting platform is loaded with a constant number of workpieces and rises to the upper limit position, the constant number of workpieces on the lifting platform moves by rolling due to its own weight, and the moved constant number of workpieces is clamped by a pair of chuck plates in the chuck drive unit. And a shooter for holding the same in a predetermined position are arranged between the aligning and conveying section and the chuck driving section.

[0008]

[Function] A plurality of constant-piece straight tube-shaped workpieces, which are continuously fed in a row, are carried into a predetermined position between a pair of chuck plates, and both ends of the constant-piece workpieces are elastically clamped by the pair of chuck plates. Then, by repeating the operation of dropping a fixed number of works with the chuck plate and supplying them to the work aligning and storing means such as a tray, the stacking of works can be performed safely and completely automatically without damaging the works. . Further, a stacking device adapted to stacking a wide variety of works can be realized, which easily corresponds to the size change of the works by adjusting the opening / closing stroke of the pair of chuck plates.

[0009]

Embodiments Embodiments shown in the drawings will be described. The drawing shows a straight tube type glass tube for fluorescent lamps (1).
1 is a stacking device for stacking and stacking them on a tray (5) which is a work aligning and storing means for storing the stacks in a stack. Figure 1
FIG. 1 is a side view of the entire apparatus, and the stacking apparatus is an aligning and conveying section (2) for continuously feeding the glass tubes (1) in a row in an orthogonal direction.
And a chuck drive unit (4) for elastically sandwiching a fixed number of the fed glass tubes (1) with a pair of chuck plates (3) and stacking them on a tray (5) which is a work alignment storage means. Prepare An elevating table (6) for transferring the glass tube (1) and a shooter (7) are arranged between the aligning and conveying section (2) and the chuck driving section (4).

The aligning and conveying section (2) includes, for example, a supply conveyor (10), a cutting conveyor (11), and an inclined conveyor (1).
Have 2). A large number of unpackaged glass tubes (1) are supplied on a supply conveyor (10) in a random state orthogonal to the conveying direction. The lower part of the slicing conveyor (11) inclined upward is arranged at the tip of the supply conveyor (10). The cutting conveyor (11) has claws (13) for cutting the glass tubes (1) sent by the supply conveyor (10) one by one at equal intervals, and the glass tubes (1) cut by the claw (13). ) Is fed obliquely upward and drops from the upper part of the cutting conveyor (11) onto the inclined conveyor (12).
The tilted conveyor (12) is tilted at an angle of a few dozen degrees such that the glass tube (1) on the tilted conveyor (12) rolls by its own weight. The glass tubes (1) supplied onto the inclined conveyor (12) are fed continuously in a line while rolling on the inclined conveyor (12) in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction thereof. An elevating table (6) is arranged on the extension line of the tip of the inclined conveyor (12), and a shooter (7) is arranged in front of it. A vertical first stopper (14) is fixedly arranged between the lift table (6) and the shooter (7).

The elevating table (6) is vertically driven by the first cylinder (15) so that a plurality of constant tubes of the glass tube (1) from the inclined conveyor (12) are collectively and automatically transferred to the shooter (7). Move it. The upper surface of the lift table (6) is inclined at the same angle as the inclined conveyor (12). As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lift table (6) has a lower limit position (FIG. 3) where the upper surface is flush with the inclined conveyor (12) and an upper limit where the upper surface is flush with the upper surface of the shooter (7). When it moves up and down at the position (FIG. 2) and rises to the upper limit position, the front side surface (6a) of the lift table (6) acts as a stopper for the glass tube (1) on the inclined conveyor (12). The upper end of the first stopper (14) and the upper surface of the shooter (7) are aligned on an extension line of the upper surface of the lift table (6) at the upper limit position.

The shooter (7) has a second stopper (16) in the form of a protrusion on the front surface of the upper surface thereof, and the glass tube (1) sent from the elevating table (6) is guided by the second stopper (16). Stop positioning. On the shooter (7), a fixed number of glass tubes (1) sent from the lift table (6) are aligned. Both ends of each glass tube (1) at this time protrude from both sides of the shooter (7). Shooter (7) is the second cylinder (17)
And is reciprocated between a forward drive position inside the chuck drive unit (4) and a reverse drive position outside the chuck drive unit (4), and when in the forward drive position, a fixed number of glass tubes are moved from the lift table (6). (1) is carried in.

A specific example of the chuck driving section (4) will be described with reference to FIGS. This is a pair of chuck plates (3), an opening / closing cylinder (20) for opening and closing the chuck plates (3) in the approaching and separating directions, a servomotor (21) for vertically moving the chuck plates (3), and a pair of chuck plates. It has a handle (22) for adjusting the normal interval of (3) and a frame-shaped frame (23) for supporting the whole. An elevating plate (24) is horizontally attached to the frame (23) via a vertical guide (25) so as to be vertically movable, and a pair of opening / closing cylinders (20) are fixed to both ends of the elevating plate (24). . The upper ends of a pair of inverted T-shaped open / close arms (26) that are driven to open / close by the open / close cylinders (20) are attached to both ends of the lift plate (24). The chuck plate (3) is connected to the inside of the lower end of each opening / closing arm (26) through a plurality of springs (27). Lifting plate (2
The vertical feed screw (29), which is driven to reciprocate by the servo motor (21), is screwed in the center of 4), and the vertical feed screw (29)
The elevator plate (24) moves up and down along the guide (25) by the forward and reverse rotation of. The handle (22) is manually and variably adjusted in accordance with the total length of the pair of chuck plates (3) in the normal state depending on the type of the glass tube (1) to be held. For example, the handle (22) has a pair of open / close cylinders (20) and open / close arms (26), one of which is a reference position, and the other is a horizontal feed screw (30) for moving the other in the horizontal direction. Have. The upper limit positions of the pair of chuck plates (3) that move up and down integrally with the lift plate (24) are on both sides of the shooter (7) at the forward position, and are located in the tray (5) below from the upper limit position. , And descends in multiple strokes to perform the glass tube stacking operation described below. The pair of chuck plates (3) have, for example, a rubber plate (28) as a cushioning material on the front surfaces facing each other,
Both ends of a constant number of glass tubes (1) ... Are clamped together by a rubber plate (28).

For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the tray (5) is provided with a bottom plate (5a) and a plurality of plate columns (5b) ... A constant number of glass tubes (1) are inserted between them and stacked. The tray (5) is carried in by the upper conveyor (31) just below the shooter (7) at the forward position. There is a lower conveyor (32) below the upper conveyor (31), and an empty tray (5) is placed on the lower conveyor (32) to stand by for stacking glass tubes.

Next, the operation of the stacking apparatus will be described. The glass tube (1) fed by the aligning and conveying section (2) rolls on the upper surface of the lift table (6) at the lower limit position and stops by hitting the first stopper (14). This glass tube feeding is continuously performed, and as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of constant (8 in the drawing) glass tubes (1) ... , Line up without any gaps. Subsequent glass tube (1) ...
Stand in line on the inclined conveyor (12). In this state, the lift table (6) is raised by the first cylinder (15) to the upper limit position. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper surface of the lifting table (6), the upper end of the first stopper (14), and the upper surface of the shooter (7) at the forward position are flush with each other, and the row constant on the lifting table (6) is constant. The glass tubes (1) ... Roll all at once and move to above the shooter (7) and hit the second stopper (16) to stop. At this time, the front side (6a) of the lifting platform (6)
Acts as a stopper for the glass tube (1) on the inclined conveyor (12).

A glass tube (1) of a constant number is attached to the shooter (7).
Is supplied, the pair of chuck plates (3) at the upper limit position waiting near both ends of the glass tube (1) ... , A row of constant glass tubes (1) on a tilted shooter (7) ...
Sandwich it from both ends. This clamping is performed elastically via the rubber plate (28) and the spring (27) of the chuck plate (3), and the elastic clamping of the rubber plate (28) slightly reduces the total length of the glass tube (1). The dimensional error is absorbed, and the glass tubes (1) with a constant number are securely held by the chuck plate (3). When the chuck plate (3) holds the glass tube (1) ..., the shooter (7) moves to the retracted position by the second cylinder (17), and the lift table (6) reaches the lower limit position, as shown in FIG. To descend. Simultaneously with the lowering of the lift table (6), glass tubes (1) ... Are supplied from the tilt conveyor (12) onto the lift table (6).

After the shooter (7) is retracted, the servo motor (21) is driven so that the lift plate (24) and the pair of chuck plates (3) descend while holding the glass tubes (1) ... To do. The lowering stroke of the chuck plate (3) is set stepwise according to the number of stacked glass tubes on the tray (5). For example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the constant number of glass tubes (1) ... Are stacked in two stages on the bottom of the tray (5), the chuck plate (3) holds the constant number of glass tubes. (1) ... descends to a position on the second stage glass tube (1) ... in the tray (5) and stops. When the lower one of the inclined one-row constant glass tubes (1) held by the chuck plate (3) hits the second horizontal glass tube (1) of the tray (5), The plate (3) is slanted following the bending of the spring (27), and the total number of the sandwiched glass tubes (1) with a constant number of rows is the second glass tube (1) of the tray (5). Stack at and stop at that position. After this stop, the open / close cylinder (20) is activated to open the chuck plate (3) and separate from the glass tube (1). At the same time, the servo motor (21) is driven to rotate in the reverse direction, the chuck plate (3) rises to the upper limit position, and the shooter (7) moves forward and backward to the forward position. After that, the above operation is repeated, and the glass tubes (1) are sequentially stacked in a constant number on the tray (5).

Every time a constant number of glass tubes (1) are stacked on the tray (5), the downward stroke of the chuck plate (3) by the servomotor (21) is shortened by the diameter of the glass tube (1). Then, stacking is executed. Such a stepwise control of the lowering stroke of the chuck plate (3) can be performed by a cylinder other than the servo motor (21), but the control by the servo motor (21) is accurate and the adjustment by changing the glass tube type is easy. Is excellent in

The glass tube (1) may have different tube diameters and overall lengths due to product type changes, and may differ in the number of stacked layers and the stacked area at one time. Such a product type change can be easily dealt with by changing the length of the lift table (6) or changing the normal interval between the pair of chuck plates (3) using the handle (22).

Constant number of glass tubes (1) to tray (5) ...
The stacking form of is not limited to the normal alignment form shown in the drawings, and even if it is a zigzag alignment form, the stacking can be performed accurately by the same operation.

The present invention is not limited to the stacking device for a straight tube type glass tube of a fluorescent lamp, and can be effectively applied to a stacking device for a straight tube type fluorescent lamp manufactured by using a glass tube. it can.

[0022]

According to the present invention, a straight pipe work is continuously fed in a line in the orthogonal direction, and both ends of a plurality of constant books are elastically clamped by a pair of chuck plates at a predetermined position, and they are held as they are. By repeating the operation of supplying to the work alignment storage means such as trays with the chuck plate, stacking of works can be performed safely and completely automatically without damaging the works,
The stacking workability of glass tubes can be greatly improved, and the productivity and labor saving of fluorescent lamps using glass tubes can be easily improved. Further, it is possible to provide a stacking device suitable for stacking a wide variety of works by easily adjusting the size of the works by adjusting the opening / closing stroke of the pair of chuck plates.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an entire stacking apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 before stacking.

FIG. 3 is a partial side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 when stacked.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of a chuck driving unit of the apparatus shown in FIG.

5 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

6 is an enlarged side view of a chuck driving unit of the apparatus shown in FIG.

7 is a perspective view showing an example of a work alignment storage means in the apparatus of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Work (Glass Tube) 2 Aligning and Conveying Section 3 Chuck Plate 4 Chuck Driving Section 5 Work Alignment Storage Means (Tray) 6 Lifting Table 7 Shooter

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An aligning / conveying unit that continuously feeds straight-tube-shaped works in a line in a line in an orthogonal direction, and a plurality of continuous predetermined works carried into a predetermined position by the aligning / conveying unit from both ends thereof. Supports a pair of parallel chuck plates that collectively clamp the elastic force so that they can be opened and closed in the approaching and separating directions, and can move up and down between a predetermined upper limit position that clamps the work and a plurality of stepwise positions below it. When a constant number of workpieces are clamped, the pair of chuck plates descends with the workpieces clamped and the bottom of the workpiece aligning and storing means or the same number previously supplied to this workpiece aligning and storing means. Stacking device for straight pipe type workpieces, which supplies stacking onto the above workpieces. 2. The workpieces fed by the aligning and conveying section are
A work transfer lift with an inclined upper surface that rolls under its own weight and is aligned and held for a predetermined number, and when this lift is loaded with a constant work and rises to the upper limit position, the constant work on the lift will A shooter that moves by rolling due to its own weight and that aligns and holds a constant number of workpieces that have moved at a predetermined position sandwiched by a pair of chuck plates of the chuck drive unit is arranged between the alignment transport unit and the chuck drive unit. The stacking device for straight pipe type works according to claim 1, characterized in that.