JPH0682037U - Parts feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a parts feeder capable of arranging parts in a line and eliminating parts having a predetermined height or more. [Structure] The claw member 1 is provided on the upstream side of the imaging unit 12 of the transport path 11.
An alignment mechanism 13 having 4 is provided to align the components conveyed in two rows on the conveyance path 11 in one row, and the components having a predetermined height or higher are removed by the claw members 14.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a part feeder, and in particular, a part that sequentially conveys components on a conveyance path while applying vibration, determines the shape of the component by a visual sensor, eliminates dissimilar components, and passes only the desired component. Regarding the feeder.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 The parts feeder conveys the parts while applying vibration, irradiates the parts with light from a light source at a predetermined position, images the shadow or reflected light of the parts with a CCD camera, processes the imaged output, and The posture and shape of the component is determined, and the component that does not have the desired posture and shape is ejected from the air ejection device by ejecting compressed air and eliminated.

In such a parts feeder, the speed at which a CCD camera discriminates an image of a part has an important influence. In particular, in a vibrating parts feeder, it is impossible to control the moving time of the parts from the imaging position of the parts to the position where the compressed air is blown out by the air blowing device and is removed because the conveying speed of the parts is not constant. is there. For this reason, it is necessary to identify the posture and shape of the component by instantly performing image processing after the component is imaged by the CCD camera.

In order to improve the discrimination speed, it is natural to improve the speed of image processing, but it is desirable that the image captured by the CCD camera is also simple.

[0005]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an image captured by the CCD camera. In the example shown in FIG. 3, images of the components 1 and 2 conveyed in two rows are picked up. In this case, it is necessary to separately process the images of the parts 1 and 2 or to judge them as different parts. However, in order to separate and process the parts 1 and 2, the image processing time becomes long. If treated as dissimilar parts, the quantity of supplied parts will decrease.

Further, when the parts 5 are stacked and conveyed as shown in FIG. 4, they are discriminated as different kinds of parts.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, when the component has a pipe shape, the following problems occur. That is, as shown in FIG. 5A, a hollow cylindrical component 4 is transported on the transport path 3, and when the component 4 is imaged from above by a CCD camera, the image becomes a ring shape. When this image is taught to determine the posture of the component 4, the component 4 is conveyed in such a posture that the hollow portion of the component 4 faces the side surface of the conveyance path 3 as shown in FIG. 5B. When it comes, it is necessary to eject the compressed air from the air ejection port 5 and remove the part 4 because the posture is bad. However, since the hollow portion of the component 4 faces the air ejection port 5, the compressed air ejected from the air ejection port 5 blows through the hollow portion of the component 4 and the component 4 cannot be removed. There is a problem.

Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide a parts feeder capable of aligning parts in a row or eliminating parts of a predetermined height.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 This invention sequentially conveys parts on a conveyance path while applying vibration, and the visual sensor determines the shape of the parts to eliminate different types of parts. In a parts feeder that allows only desired parts to pass, a visual sensor for the conveyance path is used. It is equipped with an alignment mechanism for arranging the parts in a line on the upstream side.

[0010] More preferably, the alignment mechanism is configured to exclude a component having a predetermined height or more, and a claw member therefor is provided.

[0011]

In the parts feeder according to the present invention, the alignment mechanism is provided on the upstream side of the visual sensor in the conveying path so that the parts are arranged in a line, so that the time required for image processing can be shortened and the posture can be maintained. Defective parts can be eliminated.

[0012]

【Example】

 1 is a plan view of an essential part of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an essential part of the alignment mechanism shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, the bow 10 is provided with a conveyance path 11 for conveying the parts 21 and 22 while vibrating them, and the imaging unit 12 of the conveyance path 11 uses a CCD camera (not shown) to convey the parts 21, 22 images are taken. An alignment mechanism 13 is provided on the upstream side of the image pickup unit 12. When the parts are conveyed in two rows as shown in FIG. 3 described above, the alignment mechanism 13 arranges the parts in one row, and the parts having a predetermined height or higher or the parts conveyed in a stacked state are arranged in the bowl 10. Eliminate on the center side of. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 2, the alignment mechanism 13 is formed in an arcuate shape, and a claw member 14 is formed at the center thereof so as to project.

When the parts 5 are stacked and conveyed as shown in FIG. 4, the claw member 14 eliminates the parts 5 stacked on top. Further, as shown in FIG. 5 (a) described above, the claw member 14 allows the cylindrical component 4 to pass through when the hollow part thereof is conveyed upward, As shown in FIG. 5B, when the hollow portion of the component 4 is conveyed so as to face the air ejection port 5, the component is removed by the claw member 14. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5 (c), if the relationship between the diameter a and the height b of the component 4 is selected so that a> b, the claw member 14 is placed on the conveyance path 11 from the top. It is provided at a position higher than b and lower than a. Therefore, when the component 4 is conveyed in the posture as shown in FIG. 5B, the component 4 can be removed before the CCD camera captures the image at the position of the image capturing unit 12, and the image processing burden is increased. Can be reduced.

[0015]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, according to the present invention, by providing the alignment mechanism for arranging each component in one row on the upstream side of the visual sensor in the transport path, the components transported in two rows are It can be arranged in rows, the burden of image processing can be reduced, and even when a hollow component having a diameter larger than the height is transported and its posture is bad, it can be easily eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an essential part of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of the alignment mechanism shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing images of two rows of parts imaged by a CCD camera in a conventional parts feeder.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which components are stacked and conveyed.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation of removing a pipe-shaped component.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4, 21 and 22 parts 10 bowl 11 conveyance path 12 imaging unit 13 alignment mechanism 14 claw member

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A parts feeder in which parts are sequentially transferred on a transfer path while applying vibration, different types of parts are excluded by a shape determining device to eliminate different types of parts, and only desired parts are passed. A parts feeder characterized in that an alignment mechanism for arranging the parts in a line is provided upstream of the discriminating means of the road. 2. The parts feeder according to claim 1, wherein the alignment mechanism excludes parts having a predetermined height or more. 3. The parts feeder according to claim 2, wherein the alignment mechanism includes a claw member for removing parts having a predetermined height or more.