JPH07112439A - Stock system for molding machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a separate type stock system for a molding machine wherein each section of the system is unitized into a module and an optimum system structure can be selected on a site dependent on user's specification or factory layout. CONSTITUTION:A main unit 1, and ordinarily, one or a plurality of sub-units 2, 3... to be connected to both sides of the main unit are provided. The units (1, 2), (1, 3) are formed detachably from each other. By combining these units, a system can be constituted flexibly dependent on separate purpose or specification.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stock system (stocker) which is provided beside a molding machine and automatically stores and stores molded articles taken out by a take-out machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a stock system for a molding machine is becoming popular for the purpose of promoting unmanned and labor saving in a molding factory. There are various types of stock systems on the market, but all currently available on the market are pre-built as a single system depending on the type and type of molding machine or take-out machine. Is.

FIG. 10 shows an example of an existing stock system for a molding machine. A stocker installed in the vicinity of the injection molding machine M has a long length which is arranged along the base of the molding machine M. The drive conveyor A, the lifting device B mounted on the conveyor A at the central portion corresponding to the take-out machine mounting position of the molding machine M, and the step dispersal device C mounted on the conveyor A on the right side corresponding to the bucket loading side. And a stacking device D mounted on the conveyor A on the left side that corresponds to the unloading side of the bucket.

The operation of the system will be briefly described. On the right side of the conveyor A, empty buckets (not shown) are pre-stacked and stocked in the stage disperser C, and the stage disperser C one by one. The separated empty buckets are sent to the central portion by the conveyor A one by one (arrow,
). Next, the empty bucket conveyed to the central portion of the conveyor is lifted up to the discharge height of the unloader T by the lifting device B, the work (molded product) is loaded in the bucket, and after the bucket is full, it is lowered by the lifting device B. From the left side of the conveyor A (arrow,). Then, the actual buckets delivered from the lifting device B are sequentially stacked and stocked by a stacking device D provided on the left side of the conveyor A.

[0005]

In the current stock system, as exemplified above, it is provided as a single system in which auxiliary devices such as an elevating device are integrally assembled in advance to a drive conveyor of a fixed size. It has become a thing. However, in the current stocker, there is a problem that the equipment is expensive as a dedicated machine and it cannot sufficiently meet various specifications on the user side. Specifically, in cases where the factory layout is changed due to FA in the molding factory or the type of molding machine or unloader to be applied is changed, it is required to change the length and type of conveyor or the type of optional accessory device. However, the existing system could only be used under uniform conditions, and there was a lack of versatility with respect to user specifications.

In view of the above-mentioned problems of the present invention, the present invention makes it possible to select an optimum system configuration by unitizing each part of the system into unit modules and combining them on site according to user specifications and factory layout. It provides a separate type stock system.

[0007]

In the stock system for a molding machine according to the present invention, as means for achieving the above object, a main unit and one or more sub-units connected to both sides or one side of the main unit are provided. The units are configured so that they can be attached to and removed from each other.

[0008]

In this stock system, by combining a single main unit prepared in advance and one or more subunits, it is possible to flexibly construct the system according to the factory layout and user specifications. .

[0009]

EXAMPLES Examples will be illustrated and described below. 1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention compared with the conventional example shown in FIG.

This system is provided with a single main unit 1 arranged in the central portion corresponding to the position where a work is taken out from the molding machine M, and arranged on both left and right sides of the main unit 1 and connected to the main units 1, respectively. Sub-unit 2,
3 and 3 are combined.

Here, each unit is modularized so that adjacent units and unit components can be attached to and detached from each other. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the main unit 1 includes a drive conveyor unit 4 including a motor-driven roller conveyor (or a belt conveyor) and a belt-driven lifting device (bucket lifter) 5. The unit of the lifting device 5 is assembled in a mounting hole provided in the drive conveyor unit 4 to be integrated.

As for the sub-units 2 and 3 on both sides, the sub-unit 2 on the right side, which corresponds to the bucket carry-in side, is constructed by assembling the belt-driven type stage breaking device 7 to the drive conveyor unit 6, and is provided on the bucket carry-out side. The sub-unit 3 on the left side is constructed by assembling a belt-driven stacking device 8 to a drive conveyor unit 6. The drive conveyor unit 6 which is a basic unit of the sub-units 2 and 3 is composed of a roller conveyor (or belt conveyor) of the same type as that of the main unit 1, and is mounted on them as an optional device. Does not differ from the basic configuration of the device except the loading weight. The drive conveyor unit 6 which is a basic unit of the subunits 2 and 3 has a common configuration including a control unit described later.

An outline of the drive conveyor unit 4 forming the basic unit of the main unit 1 and the drive conveyor unit 6 forming the basic unit of the subunits 2 and 3 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

As shown in FIG. 5, the drive conveyor unit 4 of the main unit 1 is provided with a control section (box) 9 having a built-in sequencer dedicated to the main unit. From the control unit 9, the subunit 2 described below,
A connector 10 for inputting and outputting a necessary electric signal such as a carry-in / carry-out signal of a bucket and a sub-unit 2 or 3 which is connected to a control unit of No. 3 and is adjacent thereto is extended.

Further, the main drive conveyor unit 4 is provided with a power source of a system connected to an external power source by a cord 11, and an external air drive source and an air pipe 1 are provided.
2 has an air manifold that communicates with each other, from which operating air is supplied to the main drive conveyor unit 4 and the lifting device 5 mounted thereon, and to the drive conveyor units 6 of the adjacent subunits 2 and 3. An air pipe 13 having a connection plug for distributing and supplying working air to the mounting devices 7 and 8 is extended.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, the common drive conveyor unit 6 constituting the subunits 2 and 3 is provided with a control section (box) 14 having a built-in sequencer dedicated to the subunit. From the control unit 14, a connector 15 is connected which is connected to the control unit of the main unit 1 or an adjacently connected sub unit and exchanges necessary signals with the adjacent main unit 1 or sub unit. Has been done.

Further, from each of the sub drive conveyor units 6, an air pipe 16 is plugged to the air pipe 13 or 16 of the adjacent main unit 1 or sub unit. In FIGS. 5 and 6, reference numeral 17 denotes a connecting stopper attached to each drive conveyor unit 4, 6. In addition, the drive conveyor units 4 and 6 have sensors and drive devices (not shown) built therein, and control units 9 and 1 are provided.
The 4 is equipped with various switches.

In this system, however, as shown in FIG. 4, the sub drive conveyor units 6 and 6 are connected and connected on both sides of the main drive conveyor unit 4 arranged in the central portion, and the connector 10, The system is put on standby by the connection of the electric system by the connection of 15 and the conduction of the working air by the connection of the air pipes 13 and 16. Also, when rebuilding the system,
It can be easily separated by the reverse procedure. The accessory devices of the main and subunits 1, 2, and 3 can be retrofitted after connecting the drive conveyor units 4, 6, and 6.

Main unit 1 which constitutes this system
Is connected to at least one side and is always arranged in the central part of the system, while the subunits 2 and 3 are used as the drive conveyor unit 6 alone without an optional device, As will be described later, any number can be added if necessary. Therefore, the plurality of subunits prepared in this system can be freely arranged regardless of the connection position with respect to the main unit 1.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the main and sub units 1, 2, 3, ... Are arranged so that adjacent units are connected by a cord, and signals are exchanged with each other. However, for the left side subunit 3, for example, a signal is input only from the right side main unit 1, so the control unit 14 of the same unit 3 is used.
Recognizes its connection position as the left end, that is, the carry-out end, and executes the sequence operation corresponding to that position. Similarly, with respect to the subunit 2 on the right side, a signal is input only from the main unit 1 on the left side, so that the connection position of itself is recognized as the right end, that is, the carry-in end, and the sequence operation corresponding to that position is performed. Run.

When two or more sub-units are connected to both sides or one side of the main unit 1,
Since signals are input from both sides to the subunits arranged in the middle part, the self-connection position is recognized as the middle position and the operation is executed according to the position.

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show examples of specific control systems for the main unit 1 and the sub units 2 and 3.
The control unit 9 of the main unit 1 controls the operations of the drive conveyor unit 4 and the lifting device 5, inputs the shot signal output from the molding machine, and interfaces (I / O) from the adjacent subunits 2 and 3. It plays the role of centrally controlling the entire system based on the carry-in / carry-out signals, etc. input / output via. As will be described later, when a pitch conveyor that pitch-feeds buckets is adopted as the drive conveyor unit of the main unit 1, the unit controller 9 also controls the pitch conveyor as indicated by a broken line in FIG. 7. To be executed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, the control section 14 of the common sub-units 2 and 3 carries in / out the main unit 1 or an adjacent sub-unit via an interface (I / O). The operation of the drive conveyor unit 6 and the optional mounting devices (stage disassembling device, stacking device) 7 and 8 is controlled based on signals and the like.

Although the bucket conveying operation in this system is not different from that of the conventional system shown in FIG. 10 as a whole system (arrows in FIG. 4 ,,
), The carrying operation of the buckets between the units is performed by the control unit 9 of the main unit 1 after confirming the preparation state of each unit by the signal input from each unit, and then the carry-in command (carry-in command) performed between the adjacent units. From the side to the carry-out side) and a carry-out command (a signal to be output from the carry-out side to the carry-in side).

FIG. 9 shows a stock system constructed by connecting a plurality of arbitrary numbers of sub-units 2, 3, ... To the main unit 1, from the Nth unit counting from the unit at the carry-out end (N-1). It shows an example of a specific control flow when the bucket is transported to the second unit.

As described above, in the stock system according to the present invention, the modularized main unit 1 and the plurality of sub-units 2, 3, ... Are combined so that they can be used only under uniform conditions. Compared with the conventional system, the greatest advantage is that the system can be flexibly constructed according to the factory layout and user specifications.

Specifically, the conveyor length related to the stock amount of the bucket can be freely changed by increasing or decreasing the number of connected sub-units, and the main unit 1, the sub-units 2, 3, ... Are mounted as optional devices. The type, type, and presence / absence of the lifting and lowering device 5, the stacking device, and the stacking devices 7 and 8 can be freely changed and adjusted according to the type of the molding machine or the unloader and other site conditions.

At this time, in the system shown in the embodiment, not only the main and sub units but also the drive conveyor unit 4, each of which is its basic unit,
6 and the optional equipment can be separated separately, and the sub-unit 2 without the optional equipment,
Since the drive conveyor units (basic units) 6 of 3 ... Are composed of equivalent units regardless of the connection positional relationship with the main unit 1, it is a feature that the system can be recombined very easily.

The optional device mounted on the main unit 1 may be an ascending / descending pitch conveyor unit or a pitch feed conveyor unit, depending on conditions such as the unloader and its discharge height. It can also be replaced with an XY table. Further, in the sub-units 2, ... Connected or added to the carry-in side of the main unit 1, an AGV-dedicated unit capable of carrying in a bucket by an automated guided vehicle can be provided instead of the drive conveyor unit 6, and the other. A free conveyor unit (chute) can be installed in place of the drive conveyor unit 6 in each of the sub-units 3 connected or added to the carry-out side. In this case, the system configuration is such that the sub-units 2 having the drive conveyor are substantially connected only to the carry-in side of the main unit 1.

[0030]

As described above, in the stock system for a molding machine according to the present invention, a separate type system in which the main unit and one or more sub units connected to at least one side of the main unit are detachable from each other. By adopting the configuration, the system can be flexibly constructed according to the factory layout and user specifications, and the versatility and cost reduction of the system which cannot be obtained by the conventional integrated system can be achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of a system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a system outline of an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing a unit connection structure of the embodiment system.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an outline of a drive conveyor unit that is a basic unit of a main unit.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an outline of a drive conveyor unit that is a basic unit of a subunit.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of a control system of a main unit.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of a control system of a subunit.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a control operation of bucket transportation between units in the embodiment system.

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a system outline of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 M molding machine T unloader 1 Main unit 2, 3 ... Sub unit 4 Drive conveyor unit 5 Lifting device (bucket lifter) 6 Drive conveyor unit 7 Stage breaker device 8 Stacking device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A main unit, and one or more sub-units connected to both sides or one side of the main unit,
Stock system for molding machines, characterized in that the units are configured to be removable.