JPH06227657A - Transport tool - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attach/detach a number of articles simultaneously and also simply and quickly and at the same time display sure retaining action. CONSTITUTION:When each elastic tube 22 is expanded (contracted) by conducting freely the injection (discharge) of compressed air into (out of) the frame 1 itself of a transport tool, the articles 3 can be fixed and retained freely.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a carrier suitable for carrying a large number of articles, particularly small articles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a carrier for transporting a large number of small articles, for example, articles for supporting small objects to be coated, as shown in FIG.
A screw-fastening type in which 1 is fastened with a screw 102, or a leaf-spring type in which an article 104 is pressed and fitted through a leaf spring 103 provided in a carrier body 100 ′ as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. was there.

[0003]

However, in the case of the former type, for example, it is troublesome because the worker must fix and remove the screws one by one each time by hand. When carrying a large number of articles at the same time, it is extremely complicated.

On the other hand, in the latter type, although less labor is required than in the former type, it is also laborious to attach and detach one by one, and the force must be inserted against the spring force. I need it. Moreover, since it is relatively easy to come off, it may be lost during transportation.

In view of the above situation, therefore, the present invention is capable of simultaneously and easily attaching and detaching a large number of articles, performing a quick attaching and detaching operation, and exhibiting a reliable holding operation. It is an object of the present invention to provide a transport tool capable of performing the above.

[0006]

That is, the present invention has a portable hollow frame having an injection port for injecting a compressed fluid into a hollow portion, and a base body erected on the frame. There is provided an elastic tube which is annularly mounted on the base body and whose both ends are fixed to the base body, and a communication passage which communicates with the hollow portion of the frame and injects a compressed fluid between the base body and the elastic tube. Then, the elastic tube in which the articles to be conveyed are set is expanded by injecting a compressed fluid from the injection port to fix and hold the articles.

[0007]

According to the present invention, each elastic tube is expanded or contracted by arbitrarily injecting or discharging the fluid into or from the carrier tool.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a carrier according to the present invention, which includes a hollow frame 1, a base 21 standing on the frame 1 (see FIG. 2), and the base 21.
The article holding means 2 having an elastic tube 22 (see FIG. 2) mounted around the elastic tube 22 via the frame 1.
And a means for supplying and discharging compressed air (not shown). The article 3 to be conveyed by the conveying tool is a robot (not shown) or other appropriate means (hereinafter referred to as "delivery means").
Thus, for example, they are collectively held by using a suction action similar to that of the carrying tool, and are held at a predetermined position corresponding to the article holding means 2.

The frame 1 is formed in a box shape having a hollow portion in this embodiment, and each hole 1A opened on the upper surface.
Substrate 21 is fixed to each of them. An injection port 1B is formed in the frame 1, a coupler 41 is attached to the injection port 1B, and a connecting hose 4 (see FIG. 3) having one end connected to the supply / discharge means is provided. End coupler 42
It is designed to be detachably connected to. Although compressed air is injected into the frame 1 in this embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this and various fluids can be applied.

As shown in FIG. 2, the base body 21 is provided with a guide portion 21A having a conical shape at its tip portion and serving as a guide when it is inserted into the insertion hole 31 of the article 3. A ventilation path 21D is formed inside the base 21 between the intake hole 21B on the base end surface and the exhaust hole 21C on the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate portion.

The elastic tube 22 is annularly mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the base 21 and has crimping rings 23 at both ends.
The compressed air sent from the supply / discharge means through the ventilation path 21D expands and inscribes the insertion hole 31 of the article 3 so that the article 3 is detachably fixed.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. (I) When setting an article Prior to inserting the article 3 to be fixedly held in the article holding means 2, the air in the hollow portion of the frame 1 is exhausted to, for example, atmospheric pressure. Thereby, the elastic tube 22 of the article holding means 2 is kept in a contracted state. Next, the hose 4 is connected to the frame 1 via the couplers 41 and 42.
(See FIG. 3).

Thereafter, the article 3 is inserted into the component holding means 2, and the article 3 may be simply dropped from the delivery means immediately above. Next, when compressed air is sent into the elastic tube 22 from the feeding / discharging means through the frame 1, the elastic tube 22 expands and comes into pressure contact with the insertion hole 31 of the article 3 as shown in FIG. Hold it fixed.

Then, the delivery means on which the articles 3 have been set is removed. As a result, unless the compressed air is exhausted from the frame 1, all the articles 3 are fixed and held by the article holding means 2 as shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the coupler 41 is provided with appropriate means such as an air leakage prevention valve so that the compressed air in the frame 1 will not leak even if the coupler 42 is removed and the hose 4 is removed. Therefore, the frame 1 and the article 3 can be freely moved without being hindered by the hose 4. Although the hose 4 is connected to the frame 1 prior to the insertion of the article 3 in this embodiment, the article 3 may be inserted into the article holding means 2 first.

(II) Case of Removing Article As shown in FIG. 6, the coupler 42 is removed from the coupler 41, and the article 3 is moved together with the frame 1 to a desired place. Next, after moving to the desired location, the frame 1
The coupler 41 is connected to the coupler 42 of the hose 4, and then the compressed air is exhausted from the inside of the frame 1. As a result, the elastic tube 22 is in a contracted state, so that the compressed state in the insertion hole 31 of the article 3 is released, as shown in FIG. 7. Therefore, each article 3 can be freely taken out from the article holding means 2.

In this embodiment, the coupler 4 of the hose 4 is used.
Although 2 is connected to the coupler 41 of the frame 1 to exhaust the compressed air, the present invention is not limited to this, and the coupler 41 itself may be provided with an exhaust means.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, the diameter of the article can be reduced by shrinking it when it is mounted on the carrier, so that the article need not be strictly positioned and can be simply dropped. In addition, when transporting and moving, it is possible to firmly fix it by injecting fluid and expanding the elastic tube to make it stick to the article, and for removal, draining the fluid makes it easy to become a free state. Since it has a simple structure and can transport a large amount of articles simultaneously and quickly, it can be expected to be widely applied in various fields and has the effect of significantly improving the transportation work.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing a carrier according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an article holding means according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which an article is attached to the carrier according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts showing a conventional screw-type carrier.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional leaf spring type transport tool.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional leaf spring type transport tool.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 frame 2 article holding means 3 article 4 hose 21 base 22 elastic tube

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A hollow frame which has an injection port for injecting a compressed fluid into the hollow portion and which can be carried around, a base body which is erected on the frame, and a base which is annularly mounted on the base body and has both ends. An elastic tube fixed to the base body and a communication passage communicating with the hollow portion of the frame for injecting a compressed fluid between the base body and the elastic tube were set, and each article to be conveyed was set. A conveyer characterized in that the elastic tube is expanded by injecting a compressed fluid from the injection port to fix and hold the article.