JPH07178685A - Workpiece conveyer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a workpiece conveyer whereby a workpiece can be transfer fed to a workpiece reloading region by surely holding the workpiece of tilted shaft member or the like. CONSTITUTION:A workpiece clamp device 10 is provided with a pair of workpiece contact tools 133 brought into contact with each location of a workpiece W with a space provided in an axial line direction and a chuck supporting part 130 for supporting the workpiece contact tool, to support the chuck supporting part horizontally displaceably by a slide member 120 and a guide rail 115, and to support the guide rail swivelably to a base part 100 by a guide member 110 and a supporting shaft 109. The workpiece clamp part 10, in the case of clamping the workpiece W overlapped vertically to tilt, swivels the chuck supporting part 130 with the supporting shaft serving as the center, to further displace the chuck supporting part substantially in a horizontal direction straightened to the workpiece. The work clamp device 10 has a compression spring 117 for elastically holding the slide member on the guide rail to the center of the workpiece clamp device and a compression spring 114 for elastically holding a swivel restricting member 112 of the guide part to the center of the workpiece clamp device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a work transfer device, and more particularly to a work transfer device provided with a work holding device for holding a work of a shaft member substantially horizontally.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the production / assembly of machines or devices (for example, automobiles or vehicles), a predetermined work (for example, engine parts, transmission parts, etc.) is automatically transferred to a transfer line (for example, a transfer conveyor) of a predetermined production facility. The work transfer device or the work transfer station, which is transferred to (1), is put to practical use. Such a work transfer device is generally
A work stored in a work storage area such as a pallet or a work storage box is grasped and the work is conveyed to a predetermined work mounting area, and thereafter, the work is released to move the work to the work mounting area, for example, It is automatically supplied onto the conveyor (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2-180573, 61-55016, and 3-95025). Further, there is known a turntable for adjusting a carry amount for pooling bottles for chemicals or the like and optimizing a feed amount of a carry material to a device on a downstream side of a carry line (see JP-A-60-145115). ). Such a turntable includes a rotary table and a guide body arranged on the rotary table. Further, a work gripping unit provided with a pair of gripping tools for gripping a work on a shaft member has been put into practical use as a transfer device for the above-described work transfer station. In addition, in the work transfer device, a pair of gripping units that respectively grip the shaft members are provided,
There is known a structure provided with adjusting means for adjusting the distance between the gripping tools or chucks in each gripping unit in accordance with the dimensional change of the shaft member and the like (see Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-26281).

[0003]

In the work transfer device of the above type, when a shaft member (work) such as a primary shaft for transmission is transferred, the work in the work storage box is gripped by the gripping device of the work transfer device. Then, the work is transported to a transport conveyor or the like. Since the works are generally stored in the storage box in an irregular posture in which they overlap each other, it is difficult to detect the position / posture of the work by a detection device such as a CCD built-in detection device. Is difficult to be accurately gripped by the gripping device. Here, a turntable is arranged in the work moving path from the work storage box to the transfer line so that the gripping device can smoothly and easily grip each work,
Using an industrial robot device equipped with a magnetic attraction device, the work in the storage box is transferred to the turntable, the work is dispersed on the turntable, and then the position / posture of each work is detected. A transport system in which a work is gripped by a gripping device or a chucking device is conceivable. However, it is extremely difficult to completely disperse the shaft member,
For this reason, there are many cases in which one of the two vertically stacked shaft members has to be gripped. However, since the upper shaft member rides on the lower shaft member and is inclined as a whole, it is difficult to grip using the conventional type or structure of the gripping tool, and it is possible to temporarily grip the shaft member. Even in such a case, the shaft member has to be transferred to a conveyor or the like in an incompletely gripped state, which may cause the shaft member to drop during the transfer.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to convey a work such that a work such as an inclined shaft member can be reliably gripped and the work can be transferred to a work transfer area. To provide a device.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a work transfer device equipped with a work holding device for holding a work of a shaft member substantially horizontally, wherein the work holding device is A chuck supporting portion that supports the gripping tool, a base portion that swingably supports a horizontal axis, and is interposed between the chuck supporting portion and the base portion,
There is provided a work transfer device comprising: a slide means that supports the chuck support portion and the base portion so as to be capable of relative displacement in a substantially horizontal direction. According to the above configuration of the present invention, the gripping device of the work transfer device grips a work that is vertically stacked and vertically inclined in a work storage area such as a storage box or a work placement area such as a turntable. At this time, due to the upward load received from the portion of the work that is bulged upward, it swings about the horizontal axis and is eccentric to the side, and is inclined so as to be aligned with the work. Therefore, the gripping device can securely grip the inclined work.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the work transfer device is provided with a first urging means for restricting the swing of the chuck support part and positioning the chuck support part at a predetermined position of the work holding device. A second urging unit is provided which regulates relative displacement between the chuck support portion and the base portion and holds a predetermined relative position between the chuck support portion and the base portion. More preferably, the first biasing means has a load characteristic of holding the chuck support portion at a predetermined position of the work gripping device against the self-weight of the components of the gripping device when the work gripping device is tilted. The second biasing means has a load characteristic of holding a predetermined relative position of the chuck support portion and the base portion against the own weight of the component parts of the gripping device when the work gripping device is tilted.

According to this structure, the gripping device can be always held at a predetermined position of the work transfer device, and the gripping device can be quickly returned to the initial position after the gripping device is swung or horizontally displaced.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A work transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. FIG. 1 is a layout diagram showing a schematic overall layout of the work transfer station.
FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of a work transfer station. The work transfer station transfers the work W to the transfer adjustment turntable T, and the work transfer first turn conveyor C1 for transferring the work W on the turntable T.
Alternatively, it is provided with a work transfer device M that is transferred onto the second conveyor C2. The work transfer station constitutes the work supply unit of the production line of the vehicle transmission manufacturing facility, and the first conveyor C1 that joins the production line.
Alternatively, the work W (transmission component) assembled or incorporated in the transmission is supplied to the second conveyor C2. In this example, the work W is a shaft member such as a primary shaft of a transmission.
The work W is stored in a work storage box B made of a wooden box with a top opening, and the storage box B is a robot device R.
It is mounted on the box support base S arranged below. The storage space in the storage box B is divided into a plurality of compartments L, and each compartment L accommodates a plurality of works.

The robot apparatus R includes a plurality of vertical columns 1 arranged at four corners, beams 2a and 2b in the longitudinal direction (X 'direction) and beams 3a in the width direction (Y' direction) supported by the columns 1. And 3b. Pillar 1 and beam 2a,
2b, 3a, and 3b form a frame of the robot apparatus R. A movable beam 4 oriented in the Y'direction is arranged below the beams 2a, 2b in the X'direction so as to bridge the beams 2a, 2b, and each end of the movable beam 4 is arranged in the X'direction. The beams 2a and 2b are movably supported by the beams 2a and 2b, respectively.
A magnetic attraction device 5 for attracting the work W is attached to the movable beam 4, and the magnetic attraction device 5 is supported by the movable beam 4 so as to be movable along the movable beam 4 in the Y ′ direction. The magnetic attraction device 5 includes an electromagnet 6 (FIG. 2) to which an exciting current is supplied.
The electromagnet 6 simultaneously attracts a plurality of works W in the storage box B by magnetic force. The movable beam 4 is X '
Direction, the magnetic attraction device 5 moves in the Y'direction, and the attracted work W is transferred from the storage box B to the turntable T.
Transfer to the upper area. The turntable T is arranged in the corner area of the robot apparatus R and is positioned within the movable range of the magnetic attraction apparatus 5. The magnetic attraction device 5 is demagnetized in the upper region of the turntable T of the turntable T and releases the work W. The works W are transferred onto the rotary table 7, and the group of works W on the rotary table 7 are dispersed to some extent on the rotary table 7 as the rotary table 7 rotates.

Above the robot apparatus R, a beam 52 oriented in the X direction is arranged so as to straddle the robot apparatus R. Each end of the beam 52 is supported by the column 51, the middle part of the beam 52 is connected to the beam 53 extending in the Y direction, and the end of the beam 53 is supported by the column 54. The beams 52 and 53 and the columns 51 and 54 form a frame of the work transfer device M. The work transfer device M has a movable beam 55 oriented in the Y direction, and the movable beam 55 is the X beam.
Is disposed below the beam 52 in the direction and extends laterally from the middle portion of the beam 52. The work gripping device 10 that grips the work W is attached to the tip of the movable beam 55. The movable beam 55 is supported by the beam 52 so as to be movable in the X direction, and the work holding device 10 includes a pair of chuck units 140 that hold each work W on the rotary table 7, and the work W is held by the chuck unit 140. The work W is gripped and conveyed onto the first conveyor C1 or the second conveyor C2. 3 and 4 are a front view and a side view of the work transfer device M shown in FIG. The work gripping device 10 is arranged at the lower end of the work arm 11. The work arm 11 is substantially composed of a vertical outer pipe 11a and a vertical center pivot shaft 11b arranged in the outer pipe 11a, and the work gripping device 10 is fixed to a lower end portion of the center pivot shaft 11b. A slide rail 14 extending in the vertical direction is fixed to the side surface of the outer pipe 11a,
The slide rail 14 is movably supported by a vertical linear slide bearing 12. The linear slide bearing 12 is supported by the movable beam 55 so as to be capable of reciprocating in the X direction via the horizontal linear slide bearing 13.

The rack 15 extending in the vertical direction is provided with the outer pipe 11a.
The rack 15 meshes with the pinion 21 of the lifting drive device 20. The lift drive device includes an electric motor, and an output shaft of the electric motor is operatively engaged with the pinion 21. Thus, the work arm 11 moves up and down by forward or reverse rotation of the electric motor of the lifting drive device 20,
The work gripping device 10 is moved up and down. Turning drive 16
Are arranged on the upper end of the work arm 10. The turning drive device 16 includes an electric motor 17 and a power transmission mechanism 18 that transmits the rotation of the output shaft of the electric motor 17 to the central turning shaft 11b of the work arm 11. Therefore, the central turning shaft 11b of the work arm 11 and the work gripping device 10 rotate about the vertical axis by the operation of the electric motor 17.
The transverse drive device 22 is arranged adjacent to the side surface of the movable beam 55. The traverse drive device 22 includes an electric motor and a power transmission member 23 that transmits the power of the electric motor. The power transmission member 23 engages with the linear slide bearing 12 to reciprocate the work arm 11 in the Y direction. Let Travel drive device 3 for reciprocating the work arm 11 in the X direction
0 is arranged at the base end of the movable beam 55. The traveling drive device 30 includes an electric motor 31 that constitutes a traveling power source of the movable beam 55, and a pinion 32 that is operatively connected to an output shaft of the electric motor 31. The pinion 32 meshes with the rack 34 in the X direction fixed to the lower surface of the beam 52. Traveling rails 35 extending in the X direction are fixed to both side surfaces of the beam 52, and pulleys 33 of the traveling drive device 30 are rollably engaged with the traveling rails 35.

FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show a work holding device 1
0 is a horizontal sectional view, a front view and a vertical sectional view. As shown in FIG. 7, the work gripping device 10 includes a base 100 that is integrally connected to the lower end of the central pivot 11b of the work arm 11.
The base portion 100 includes a horizontal substrate 101 and a shaft portion 104 that hangs down from the horizontal substrate 101. Shaft 104
Penetrates the bottom wall of the cylindrical hollow connecting pipe 103. A nut is fastened to the lower end of the shaft portion 104, and the nut supports the hollow connecting pipe 103 so as to be vertically movable. The compression spring 105 is inserted between the step portion of the shaft portion 104 and the bottom wall of the hollow connection portion 103, and the compression spring 105 is
And the relative position of the hollow connecting pipe 103 is maintained. A horizontal intermediate substrate 102 is arranged below the horizontal substrate 101, and the intermediate substrate 102 is fixed to the upper end of the hollow connecting pipe 103. A pair of vertical shaft support plates 108 hang down from the intermediate substrate 102, and the shaft support plates 108 support both ends of a horizontal support shaft 109. The guide portion 110 is inserted between the shaft support plates 108 and extends downward from the shaft support plates 108. The support shaft 109 is
It penetrates through the boss 116 of the guide portion 110 and is integrally connected to the boss 110. Thus, the guide portion 110 is swingably supported by the shaft support plate 108. An upward projecting plate 111 formed of a pair of vertical plate members extends upward from the boss 116.
The horizontal shaft 113 that penetrates both plate bodies of the upper protruding plate 111 is
The rocking restricting member 11 is passed through the rocking restricting member 112.
Support 2.

As shown in FIG. 6, compression springs 114 are arranged on both sides of the rocking restricting member 112, and the compression springs 114 abut the downward projections 106 hanging from both sides of the intermediate substrate 102 and the bolt 107, respectively. Head 106a
Is inserted between and. The bolt 107 has a lower protruding portion 10.
6 is penetrated so as to be relatively displaceable in the axial direction. Abutment head 1
06a is biased by the left and right compression springs 114, presses the rocking restricting member 112, and holds the rocking restricting member 112 directly above the support shaft 109. Entire guide section 110, spindle 1
09 and the rocking | swiveling regulation member 112 align with the center line of the width direction of the workpiece holding device 10. The load characteristic or spring constant of the compression spring 114 is such that the guide portion 110 can be held at the center of the work gripping device 10 against the weight of each component of the work gripping device 10 when the work gripping device 10 is tilted. Is set to. Referring to FIG. 7, the boss 116
The main body portion of the guide portion 110 that hangs from has a guide rail 115, and the slide portion 120 slidably engages with the guide rail 115. The guide rail 115 is the guide unit 1.
It is integrally fitted to the front surface of the guide member 10 and horizontally extends over a predetermined range of the guide portion 110 as shown in FIGS. The front protrusions 118 forming the spring retainers are formed at both ends of the guide portion 110, and the compression springs 117 through which the bolts 119 are inserted are inserted between the inner surface of each front protrusion 118 and the slide member 120. The slide member 120 is biased by the left and right compression springs 117 and is aligned on the center line in the width direction of the work gripping device 10. The load characteristic or spring constant of the compression spring 117 is
It is set so that the slide member 120 can be held in the center of the work gripping device 10 against the weight of each component of the work gripping device 10 when the work gripping device 10 is tilted.

Vertical substrate 131 of chuck support 130
Is fixed to the front surface of the slide member 120, and the pair of chuck support plates 132 protrude forward from both side edges of the vertical substrate 131. Work contacting tool 133 capable of contacting the work W
Hangs down from each chuck support plate 132, and the chuck holder 134 projects laterally from the side surface of each chuck support plate 132. The chuck holders 134 each support the cylinder portion 141 of the fluid-operated chuck unit 140.
The left and right chuck units 140 each include a cylinder portion 141 to which a working fluid is supplied, and an opening / closing chuck 142 extending below the cylinder portion 141. Cylinder part 14
1 is an opening / closing chuck 142 by controlling the supply / discharge of the working fluid.
Is selectively switched to the work gripping position or the work releasing position. The opening / closing chuck 142 constitutes a gripping tool for the work W. The work gripping device 10 further includes a proximity switch 150 fixed to the vertical substrate 131 of the chuck support 130 by a bracket 151, and a stroke detection sensor 152 (FIG. 7) fixed to an end of the intermediate substrate 102. Proximity switch 150 and stroke detection sensor 15
2 is connected to a control unit (not shown) for controlling the operation of the work transfer device M. Proximity switch 150
Detects the approach to the work W and the work acceptance of the opening / closing chuck 142. Stroke detection sensor 152
Detects an abnormal approach or separation between the horizontal substrate 101 and the intermediate substrate 102.

A detection means for detecting the position / orientation of the work W, for example, a CCD built-in image pickup device (not shown) such as a CCD built-in camera is connected to the image processing device in the control unit. The imaging device is, for example, the work arm 11
It is attached to the middle part (FIGS. 3 and 4). The control unit includes the detection results of the imaging device, the proximity switch 150, the stroke detection sensor 152, the control unit (not shown) of the turntable T, the first and second conveyors C1, and the like.
Based on a command from a control unit (not shown) of C2, etc., the operation of the turning drive device 16, the elevation drive device, the traverse drive device 20, and the traveling drive device 30 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and FIGS. The operation of the chuck unit 140 shown in is controlled. Next, the operation of the work transfer device M will be described. The work transfer device M includes a turning drive device 16, a lifting drive device 20, a traverse drive device 22, and a traveling drive device 30.
The reciprocating operation is performed between the turntable T shown in FIG. 1 and the first and second conveyors C1 and C2. The work W transferred from the storage box B by the robot apparatus R is placed on the turntable 7 of the turntable T. In general, the work W is dispersed to some extent on the rotary table 7, and the work transfer device M includes the chuck unit 1
The opening / closing chuck 142 of 40 is brought close to the work W on the rotary table 7.

The work transfer device M includes a proximity switch 150.
Proximity to the work W, that is, the opening / closing chuck 142
Of the workpiece is detected, the chuck unit 140
The operating fluid is controlled to be supplied and discharged, and the opening / closing chuck 142 is displaced to the closed position, that is, the work gripping position. 6 and 7
As shown in, the open / close chuck 142 holds the work W at the work holding position. The work transfer device M holding the work W moves the work holding device 10 to the first or second conveyor C1, C2 by the operation of the turning drive device 16, the elevating drive device 20, the traverse drive device 22, and the traveling drive device 30. The chuck unit 1 is controlled by supplying and discharging the working fluid.
The opening / closing chuck 142 of 40 is displaced to the open position, that is, the work release position. By opening the opening / closing chuck 142,
The work W is placed on the first or second conveyor C1, C2, and thus the transfer of the work W from the turntable T to the first or second conveyor C1, C2 is completed. However, the work W on the rotary table 7 is not always oriented horizontally on the rotary table 7, and a plurality of works W are vertically stacked on the rotary table 7, and the work W to be gripped is the rotary table 7. It may be tilted on 7. However, the work transfer device M having the above configuration can easily grip the work W inclined in this way. Hereinafter, the gripping operation of the inclined work W will be described.

By the operation of the swing drive device 16, the traverse drive device 22 and the traveling drive device 30, the work gripping device 10 arranged in the upper region of the rotary table 7 is moved up and down.
By the operation of 0, the inclined work W on the rotary table 7 is approached. One of the pair of work contact members 133 shown in FIG. 6, for example, the work contact member 133 shown on the right side in FIG.
A vertical substrate 131 that comes into early contact with a portion of the work W located relatively above and supports the work contact tool 133.
Receives an upward vertical load F and is pressed upward. The vertical load F is a torque I in the counterclockwise direction about the support shaft 109 and is the chuck support portion 130 and the slide member 1.
20 and the guide part 110, and the chuck support part 130 is applied as a load H directed to the right in FIG.
And acts on the slide member 120. The torque I rotates the support shaft 109 supported by the shaft support plate 108 against the compression spring 114 that urges the swing restriction member 112,
The guide part 110, the slide member 120, and the chuck support part 130 are rotated in the torque I direction. Also, the load H
Slides the slide member 120 on the guide rail 115 against the compression spring 117 to move the chuck support 13
0 and the slide member 120 are eccentric in the load H direction.

Thus, the chuck supporting portion 130 is inclined by the action of the vertical load F so as to be aligned with the axis of the work W, and the chuck units 140 arranged on both sides of the chuck supporting member 130 are arranged in the opening / closing chucks 142. The workpiece W is received by the proximity switch 150, and the proximity switch 150 detects the proximity of the workpiece W. As described above, the work transfer device M controls the supply / discharge of the working fluid of the chuck unit 140 to displace the opening / closing chuck 142 to the work holding position to hold the work W, and then the work holding device 10 is moved to the first or the second position. Second
The work W is moved to the conveyors C1 and C2, and the work W is transferred onto the first or second conveyors C1 and C2. As described above, the work gripping device 10 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes the pair of work abutment tools 133 that abut on the respective portions of the work W that are spaced apart in the axial direction.
And a chuck support portion 13 for supporting the work contact tool 133.
0, and the chuck supporting portion 130 includes the slide member 1
20 and the guide rail 115 so as to be horizontally displaceable, and the guide rail 115 includes the guide portion 110 and the support shaft 1.
It is swingably supported by the base portion 100 by 09. The work gripping device 10 swings the chuck support part 130 around the support shaft 109 and decenters the chuck support part 130 substantially in the horizontal direction when gripping the upper work W that is vertically overlapped and inclined. As a result, the chuck support 13
Align 0 with work W. Thus, the chuck unit 140 can reliably and smoothly grip the inclined work W.

Further, the compression spring 117 for elastically holding the slide member 120 on the guide rail 115 at the center of the work gripping device 10 and the rocking restricting member 112 of the guide portion 110 at the center of the work gripping device 10 are elastic. Since the chuck unit 140 is always held at a predetermined position of the work gripping device 10, the chuck unit 140 is displaced when gripping the inclined work W, and then the chuck unit 140 is held.
0 can be quickly returned to the initial position.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide a work transfer device capable of reliably gripping a work such as an inclined shaft member and transferring the work to the work transfer area.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a layout diagram showing a schematic overall layout of a work transfer station.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the work transfer station shown in FIG.

3 is a front view of the work transfer device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.

4 is a side view of the work transfer device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.

5 is a cross-sectional view of the work holding device shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG.

6 is a front view of the work holding device shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG.

7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the work holding device shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 R Industrial Robot Device T Turntable C1 First Conveyor C2 Second Conveyor C2 M Work Transfer Device W Work B Storage Box 10 Work Gripping Device 109 Spindle 100 Base 110 Guide Part 112 Swing Restricting Member 114, 117 Compression Spring 115 Guide Rail 120 Slide member 130 Chuck support part 133 Work contact tool 140 Chuck unit 142 Open / close chuck

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A work transfer device including a work gripping device for gripping a work of an axial member substantially horizontally, wherein the work gripping device swings a chuck support portion supporting a gripping tool about a horizontal axis. A movably supporting base portion; and a slide means interposed between the chuck supporting portion and the base portion and supporting the chuck supporting portion and the base portion so as to be capable of relative displacement in a substantially horizontal direction. A work transfer device characterized by the above. 2. The work according to claim 1, further comprising first urging means for restricting swinging of the chuck support part and positioning the chuck support part at a predetermined position of the work gripping device. Transport device. 3. A second urging means for restricting relative displacement between the chuck support part and the base part and for holding a predetermined relative position of the chuck support part and the base part. Alternatively, the work transfer device according to item 2. 4. The first urging means has a load characteristic of holding the chuck support portion at a predetermined position of the work gripping device against the self-weight of the components of the gripping device when the work gripping device is tilted. The work transfer device according to claim 2, wherein. 5. The second urging means has a load characteristic of holding a predetermined relative position of the chuck support portion and the base portion against the own weight of components of the gripping device when the work gripping device is tilted. The work transfer device according to claim 3, wherein: