JPH06211336A - Supply device for molded product - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a supply device wherein a molded product can be straightened with its direction fixed by discriminating the obverse and reverse, relating to the annular molded product with no difference of shape and color between the obverse and reverse. CONSTITUTION:An annular molded product, molded by using a mold to provide irregularity in only one of the obverse/reverse surfaces, is handled as a workpiece A. A rotating means 20 placed in a hole of each workpiece A to respectively rotate it, sensor 30 for detecting whether the irregularity is provided or not in the upper facing surface relating to the workpiece A in rotation and an obverse/reverse inverting means 40 for changing a direction of the workpiece A in accordance with a result of detection by the sensor 30 are arranged in a shoot 10 for feeding the workpiece A.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention uses an annular (ring-shaped or donut-shaped) molded product formed by a mold by injection molding, die casting, or the like as a work, and keeps the front and back surfaces in a fixed direction in a chuck of a lathe. The present invention relates to a device for supplying a molded product that is automatically supplied to a product such as

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Injection-molded resin molded articles and the like may be further machined for the purpose of increasing dimensional accuracy. In the case of a ring-shaped molded product, the inner circumference or the outer circumference is often lathe-processed depending on the application. For example, in such a case, the operation of supplying a large number of molded products (that is, works) one by one to a predetermined location is a simple repetitive operation, and therefore it is desirable to automate or save labor.

However, when setting a molded product on a chuck or other work holders of a lathe, it is usually necessary to keep the front and back of the molded product (in the case of an annular product, the direction of the shaft end surface) constant. Since the molded product with the mold has asymmetrical drafts to make it easier to take out the molded product from the mold, in many cases, if the direction is wrong, it will be in a constant position on the lathe etc. Because it cannot be attached to.

Therefore, in order to automatically supply a molded product, it is necessary to keep the orientation constant while detecting and distinguishing the front and back. In other words, it is necessary for the device for supplying the molded product to be provided with a device for detecting the front and back sides and a device for inverting the direction of the molded product according to the detection result.

When there is a difference in shape between the front and back of a molded product, a conventional means applied to a general work is used, in which the difference is mechanically or optically detected to determine the front and back. It is possible. Also, even if there is no difference in shape, if the front and back have different colors and brightness,
A method of detecting the amount of reflected light with an optical sensor can be used.

[0006]

It is difficult to say that the above-described conventional front and back discriminating means can be widely applied to general annular molded articles. This is because the ring-shaped molded product has a simple shape and there is almost no difference in shape between the front and back, and it is rare that the color or brightness is different. With respect to the annular molded article having no such difference between the front and back sides, at present, there is no other generally applicable discrimination means.

An object of the present invention is to provide a feeding device capable of discriminating the front and back sides of a general annular molded product having no difference in shape and color between the front and back sides and adjusting the direction thereof to be constant. Is to provide.

[0008]

A device for supplying a molded product according to the present invention is formed by using a mold and has unevenness on only one of the front and back surfaces (a gate mark or the like, which is not a characteristic feature in shape). This is a device that handles an annular molded product with irregularities (that is, a work), and each of the molded products can be sent to a path (such as a natural drop chute or a power transfer type conveyor) that sends such molded products. Rotating means that rotates each into the hole of the molded product, a sensor that detects the presence or absence of unevenness on one side of the rotating molded product by the rotating means, and the orientation of the molded product according to the detection result by the sensor. The front and back reversing means to be changed and-are arranged.

With regard to this apparatus, as described in claim 2, an inclined chute (that is, a means for feeding an article by sliding it by the action of gravity) is in contact with one of the front and back surfaces to feed the molded article. In addition to being arranged as a path, a part of the chute is provided with a drop opening for selectively opening half of the opening so as to drop the molded product by rotating it 90 ° in either forward or reverse directions to form the above-mentioned front / back reversing means. Good.

Further, according to a third aspect of the present invention, the molded products are placed one by one with their axes being horizontal, and the receiving member is moved to the front of the chuck of the lathe, and the front end is fitted in the hole of the molded product. It is also possible to arrange a molded product delivering means including an extending tool extending to the downstream side of the front / back inverting means.

[0011]

[Function] Even if the molded product formed by using the mold by injection molding or die casting has a simple annular shape, the direction is kept constant due to the draft or the like as described above, and the subsequent process is performed. In many cases, such molded products also have some irregularities on one of the front and back surfaces. This is because a portion such as a gate corresponding to a so-called runner becomes uneven on one surface, and even if it is removed, unevenness often remains as a trace. The supply device of the present invention pays attention to that point and utilizes such unevenness to determine the front and back of the molded product and perform necessary reversal.

That is, the present apparatus first determines the front and back of each molded product sent along the path as follows. First, the rotating means enters the hole of each molded product (there is an annular molded product and has a hole in the center) to rotate the molded product. Then, the sensor detects the presence or absence of unevenness on one surface of the rotating molded product. As long as the rotation means and the sensor are installed on the side of the molded product that has a fixed orientation, does the sensor have irregularities on the surface of the sent molded product (the fixed side on the path)? Detect if there is no. Therefore, the detection result, that is, whether or not there is unevenness on the surface on a certain side, indicates whether the front and back of the molded product are facing up or down without any special determination process.

In detecting the presence or absence of unevenness, it is generally necessary to widen the area to be detected to a certain area on the surface. To detect a difference in shape or color, it may be sufficient to select one specific place as the detection target, but whether there is unevenness is whether one part is concave or other than another part. This is because it is unknown unless you understand it. In order to discriminate the unevenness with a fixed area as a detection range, it is possible to use a camera and perform appropriate image processing with a wide range in view, but the camera and the processing device are expensive. In this respect, the device of the present invention widens the detection range by rotating the molded product by rotating means such as a motor, and as a sensor for performing detection, a relatively inexpensive one (optical type or other displacement sensor) Alternatively, a sensor for detecting the vibrational displacement of the contactor applied to the surface) can be used, which is extremely advantageous in terms of cost.

After the front and back of each molded product are discriminated as described above, the front and back of the molded product is made uniform in direction by the front and back reversing means. In other words, the front / back reversing means changes the orientation of the molded product if necessary (for example, when the orientation is reversed) according to the detection result of the sensor.

The feeder of claim 2 is characterized in that the path of the molded product and the structure of the front and back reversing means are simple.
The operation is as follows. First, the molded product is sent so that either the front surface or the back surface is in contact with the chute, which is the path, and is slid by the action of gravity, and the orientation of the front surface and the back surface is detected and discriminated by the rotating means and the sensor. After that, the molded product separates from the rotating means and reaches the drop opening, which is the front / back reversing means. Here, either half (for example, the right half or the left half) of the drop opening is opened depending on the above detection result, Alternatively, the molded product is dropped while rotating it by 90 ° in the opposite direction. Which half of the drop port is opened, that is, in which direction the molded product is rotated by 90 ° is determined according to the above detection result, and therefore the front and back faces of the molded product are constant. Molded items that are oriented like this
Further down the chute to the downstream side.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the sending means for sending the molded product into the chuck of the lathe is arranged at a position downstream of the front / back reversing means, and the sending means operates as follows. The receiving parts are placed one by one on the receiving tool with the shaft center horizontal, and are moved to the front of the chuck of the lathe. When the molded product is positioned in front of the chuck, the extension tool then inserts the distal end portion into the hole of the molded product and extends it forward to push the molded product inside the chuck. If the chuck is tightened at that time, the molded product is attached at a fixed position in the chuck in a fixed direction, and the inner peripheral surface is in a state where it can be properly processed. A chuck holds an annular molded product from the outside and holds it during lathe processing.There are various types of chucks, such as those with interlocking claws, those with which each claw operates independently, and electromagnetic chucks and collet chucks. Can be used.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention is introduced in FIGS.
In this example, a ring-shaped resin molded product used for a bearing or the like is used as a work, and a large number of the products are supplied one by one to a lathe for finishing. This work with an outer diameter of about 30 mm (reference A in Fig. 1) has a slight taper on the inner and outer peripheral surfaces as a draft, so it is necessary to attach it to the chuck of the lathe with the front and back facing in the same direction. There is. The work is a simple ring shape, the front and back are symmetrical in shape (only the above-mentioned slight taper differs from the recessed point below) and there is no color difference between the front and back, but one shaft end surface ( Only on the back surface) are recesses (depth and diameter of about 1 mm), which are gate marks during molding, scattered on the same circumference.

As shown in FIG. 6 (a) and FIG. 6 (b) as a whole, the supply device 1 is one in which the following equipment is incorporated in the pedestal 2. First, a work hopper 3 capable of storing a large number of works A, a vibrating feeder 4 for feeding the works A one by one, and a chute 10 for sliding the works A from the feeder 4 in a slanting downward direction. It is arranged. At the lower part of the chute 10, a rotating means 2 is provided as a device for adjusting the front and back of the work A.
0, a sensor 30, and a front / back inverting means 40 are provided. Another chute 15 is continued below them, and below the chute 15, a feeding means 50 for feeding the work A into the chuck 8 of the lathe 7 is installed.

The portion I in FIG. 6A, that is, the portion including the chute 10, the rotating means 20, the sensor 30, the front and back reversing means 40, etc., is constructed as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. That is, first, the chute 10 makes a linear orbit having a groove 11 through which the work A passes 30 to 40 ° from the horizontal.
It is tilted. The work A in the chute 10 has one of its front and back surfaces in contact with the bottom surface of the groove 11, and slides downward along the groove 11 by the action of gravity. In the lower part of the chute 10, two stoppers 12 and 13 are arranged at intervals of one work A. Each stopper 12.1
No. 3 is such that the tip end portion is put into and taken out from the groove 11 of the chute 10 by the air cylinders 12a and 13a. If only the stopper 13 is made to function,
If all the works A above can be stopped as shown in FIG. 1B, and if the stopper 12 is further made to function, one work A in between can be separated from the other works A. A sensor 11a and a sensor 11b for detecting the presence or absence of the work A are fixed on the chute 10 at the positions shown in the figure. The former is for knowing that the work A is full on the chute 10, and the latter is for knowing that the work A is gone.

The rotating means 20 is provided with the one work A separated from the other by the stoppers 12 and 13 as described above.
It is configured to be floated from the chute 10 and rotated. Reference numeral 21 in FIG. 1A is a rotation driving motor, and an insertion tool 22 for inserting into a hole of the work A is attached to the shaft end of the motor. The insertion tool 22 has a taper at its tip so that it can be easily inserted into the work A, and is also provided with a seat on which the work A is placed. The motor 21 is mounted on a slide rail 24 arranged at a right angle to the chute 10 and is moved up and down by the action of an air cylinder 23. As the motor 21 rises and rotates, the insertion tool 22 moves to the position shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), the work A is projected and floated and rotated, but when the motor 21 descends again, the insertion tool 22 retracts below the chute 10 as shown in FIG. Return to the top of shoot 10. Then, if the stopper 13 (FIG. 1 (b)) is released, the work A rotated in FIG. 2 (a) can be fed downward as shown in FIG. 2 (c).

The sensor 30 installed above the chute 10 (just above the stopper 12) is a laser type displacement meter, and the axis of the work A is projected by projection and reflection of laser light as shown in FIG. 1 (a). The distance to a point on the end face is detected. When the work A is rotated by the rotating means 20 while detecting the distance by the sensor 30 in this way, the detection distance is not constant when there is unevenness, so the end surface on the side where the laser light hits (that is, the end surface facing upward) is uneven. You can know whether or not there is. The presence or absence of unevenness indicates whether the surface is on the side with the gate, that is, the direction of the front and back of the work A.

The front / back reversing means 40 is a means for sending the work A toward the chute 15 further below and uniformly adjusting the orientation of each work A at that time. As shown in FIG. 1 (b), just above the stop plate 11 c at the lower end of the chute 10, a drop port 43 for dropping the work A downward is provided, and left and right thereof (left and right with respect to the traveling direction of the work A on the chute 10). ), Plate-like shutters 41 and 42 which can be opened and closed by air cylinders 41a and 42a, respectively, are attached.
Below the drop port 43, as shown in FIG.
The chute 15 is connected via a. Shutter 4
Since the top surface of 1.42 is not higher than the bottom surface of the chute 10, the work A has these shutters 41 as shown in FIG.
・ Although it slides over 42, the shutter 42
To open the left half of the drop port 43 (the shutter 41 on the right side does not cover the center of the drop port 43, so the left half or more at this time opens), and the work A rotates counterclockwise as shown in the figure. Rotate 90 ° to enter the chute 15 with the axis centered horizontally. On the contrary, if the shutter 41 is pulled to open the right half (more than the right half) of the drop opening 43 as shown in (c), the work A rotates 90 ° clockwise to make the axis horizontal and shoot. It reaches within 15. Left and right shutters 41.4
Which side of 2 is opened is determined according to the front-back direction of the work A detected by the sensor 30 described above, and thus all the works A entering the chute 15 have the same direction.

The work feeding means 50 is an IV of FIG. 6 (b).
-IV part of Fig. 4 and its operation diagram of Fig. 5 (a) and (b)
Can be explained as follows. That is, the feeding means 50 includes a receiving tool 51 on which the workpieces A coming down the chute 15 are placed one by one with their axes being horizontal, and from below the chute 15 to the front of the chuck 8 for the lathe 7 (FIG. 6). It comprises a moving mechanism, a mechanism for horizontally pushing the work A into the chuck 8, and the like. The receiving tool 51 has a V-shaped space 51a so that the work A received from the chute 15 (provided with a stopper 15b which can be opened and closed at the lowermost portion) can be placed with its axis center horizontal, and the work A placed on the work piece can be accidentally collapsed In order to prevent it, a rubber pressing plate 51b having a high elasticity is provided. As the moving mechanism, the receiving member 51
Is placed on the slide base 52, the base 52 is slidably attached to the slide rail 53, and then the base 52 is connected to the telescopic end of the air cylinder 54. Further, in order to insert the work A into the chuck 8, an air cylinder 55, which can be referred to as an extension tool that extends by fitting the tip portion 56 into the hole of the work A placed on the receiving tool 51, is attached to the rear of the receiving tool 51. The tip portion 56 has a shaft portion that can enter the hole and support the work A, and a brim that can push the work A. If the holder 51 is moved to the front of the chuck 8 and the cylinder 55 is extended as shown in FIG. 5 (a) to FIG. 5 (b), the pressing plate 51b is elastically deformed and released, while the work A is moved toward the chuck 8. Can be inserted inside. In addition, limit switches 54a and 54b are attached to both ends of the moving cylinder 54,
By attaching a limit switch 55a to the rear end of the cylinder 55 which is an extension tool, it is possible to know where the receiving tool 51 is and whether the tip end portion 56 is retracted.

The feeding device 1 of FIG. 6 configured as described above.
Supplies the work A, which is a resin molded product, into the chuck 8 of the lathe 7 with the front and back facing constant as follows.

The work A transferred from the hopper 3 is
Feeder 4 leans on shoot 10 one by one and sends it out.

The work A on the chute 10 is separated one by one from the stoppers 12 and 13 (FIG. 1), and the rotating means 20 moves the chute 10 to the separated work A.
The sensor 30 detects the unevenness on the one surface and turns it upside down and turns it (see FIG. 2A).

When the rotating means 20 retracts and the work A is returned onto the chute 10 (FIG. 2B), the stopper 13
Is retracted and the work A is sent to the front / back reversing means 40 (FIGS. 2 (c) and 3 (a)), but here, the work A is either forward or reverse depending on the front / back orientation detected above.
By turning 90 degrees, the orientation of the work A is adjusted and dropped onto the chute 15 (FIGS. 3B and 3C).

Work A, which is oriented, is shot 1.
Underneath 5, the receivers 51 of the delivery means 50 receive one by one (FIG. 4), the cylinder 54 extends and the receivers 51 extend.
Together with the chuck 8 is moved to the front (Fig. 5).
(a)).

On the front surface of the chuck 8, the receiving member 5
The cylinder 55 attached to 1 extends and the work A is inserted into the chuck 8 (FIG. 5B). At this stage, the chuck 8 is tightened and holds the work A from the outside. After that, the cylinder 55 contracts, the cylinder 54 also returns to the original position, and the receiving tool 51 again comes directly under the chute 15.
Starts cutting based on a signal from the limit switch 55a of the cylinder 55 (or the limit switch 54a of the cylinder 54). After the cutting is completed, the chuck 8 is opened, compressed air is jetted from a nozzle (not shown) in the chuck 8 to remove the work A, and the work A is collected.

[0030]

The apparatus for supplying a molded product according to the present invention has the following effects. That is, 1) With regard to a general annular molded product that is molded using a mold and has no difference in shape and color between the front and back, the front and back can be discriminated well, and the orientation of the product can be adjusted to a certain level to ensure that other devices Can be supplied to.

2) The configuration is much simpler and more cost effective than using a camera or the like to determine the front and back.

3) The supply device according to the second aspect sends a molded product by a chute utilizing gravity, and also utilizes gravity for reversing the molded product, so that a special drive source is not required and the structure is simple.

4) The supply device of claim 3 surely supplies the molded product until it is actually inserted into the chuck of the lathe.
Its configuration is much simpler and cheaper than that of a robot or the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 (a) is a front view showing a main part (part I in FIG. 6) of a supply device 1 (FIG. 6) according to an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 1B is a view taken along the line bb in FIG.

2 (a), (b), and (c) are explanatory views showing an operation mode of a rotation unit 20 and a sensor 30 in the supply device 1. FIG.

3 (a), (b), and (c) are explanatory views showing an operation mode of a front / back inverting means 40 in the supply device 1, and are represented by a III-III cross section in FIG. 1 (b).

4 is a side view (IV-IV arrow view in FIG. 6) showing the delivery means 50 of the supply device 1. FIG.

5 (a) and 5 (b) are explanatory views showing an operation mode in a sectional view of the delivery means 50. FIG.

FIG. 6 (a) is a supply device 1 for a molded product (work A).
About the same supply device 1
FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Supply Device 10/15 Shoot (Route) 20 Rotating Means 30 Sensor 40 Front / Back Reversing Means 43 Falling Port 50 Sending Means 51 Receiving Tool 55 Air Cylinder (Extension Tool) A Work (Molded Product)

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yuichi Shigenaka, 3-2-15 Meiwadori, Hyogo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture Bando Kagaku Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A device for feeding an annular molded article, which is formed by using a mold and has irregularities on only one of the front and back sides, with the front and back directions kept constant, and which is provided in a path for sending the molded article. Inside, a rotating means that enters each hole of the molded product and rotates each, a sensor that detects the presence or absence of unevenness on one surface of the rotating molded product by the rotating means, and molding according to the detection result by the sensor A device for supplying a molded product in which a front and back reversing means for changing the direction of the product is arranged. 2. A tilted chute for sending a molded product in contact with either of the front and back surfaces is arranged as the above-mentioned path, and the molded product is 90 ° either forward or backward on a part of the chute.
2. The apparatus for supplying a molded product according to claim 1, wherein the above-mentioned front and back reversing means is provided by providing a drop opening for selectively opening half of the opening so as to rotate and drop. 3. A receiving tool for mounting the molded products one by one with the shaft center horizontal and moving to the front of the chuck of the lathe, and an extension tool for extending the front end by fitting the tip end into the hole of the molded product. The molded product supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the molded product delivery means including the disposed product is arranged downstream of the front / back reversing means.