JPH07205079A - Hand for minute object and handling method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a hand for minute object which sucks and fixes a minute workpiece without damaging it and cuts and separates the workpiece without fail after positioning it accurately and a handling method thereof. CONSTITUTION:It is a hand which is provided with a pipe 1 for sucking which is supported in a holder 2 having a sealed structure chamber in such a way that it can move freely in the vertical directions and in which a gripper 14 for gripping workpiece is combined with a workpiece sucking mechanism consisting of a drive device which moves the pipe 1 and a vacuum suction device. The gripper 14 is arranged by such positional relation that a finger 16 which is the workpiece gripping section is adjacent to a lower end face of the holder 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hand for fine objects which is an end effector of a robot for transferring and assembling small or thin works.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the handling of small parts, suction or gripping is generally used. In particular, it is often adsorbed and fixed to a thin work piece.
Japanese Patent No. 8192 discloses a manipulator provided with a positioning mechanism and a suction mechanism for the purpose of preventing displacement of a workpiece during suction or release of suction. This is characterized in that a manipulator having a vertically moving gripping arm and a suction pad grips the workpiece from the fixing to the opening by a positioning device, then sucks and fixes the workpiece, and then releases the grip after releasing the suction.

[0003]

When the size of the target work is reduced to a few mm or 1 mm or less, the weight of the work becomes extremely light and the influence of gravity becomes relatively small. Surface forces such as become dominant. Therefore, the work once adsorbed and fixed is
The stuck state cannot be released unless it is forcibly separated after releasing the suction. In general, vacuum breaking is performed as the work separating means at the time of releasing the suction, but the breaking pressure must be suppressed as much as possible so as not to blow off the target work and other works adjacent thereto, and the certainty of the work separation is reduced accordingly.

A similar problem occurs in gripping with a gripper. In other words, due to the adhesive force generated by the contact between the right and left fingers of the gripper and the work, the work is dragged by either of the left and right fingers when the grip is released, and the work cannot be separated at an accurate position.
Further, in the case of a thin work having a thickness of 1 mm or less, if the gripping margin is small and the case storing the work has undulations or variations in thickness, it becomes more difficult to grip the work accurately. It is an object of the present invention to provide a hand for a fine object and a handling method for handling a fine work, which accurately and surely fixes and releases the work without causing damage.

[0005]

A work adsorbing mechanism including an adsorbing tube movably supported in a holder having a hermetically sealed chamber in a vertical direction, a drive device for moving the tube, and a vacuum suction device. A hand for minute objects in which grippers are combined and the grippers are arranged so that the fingers, which are the work gripping parts, are positioned adjacent to the lower end surface of the holder.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The structure of an embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is a sectional view of the embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment. The tube 1 is connected to an external exhaust means via a tube 17, and the lower end surface 5 of the tube 1 is connected by vacuum suction.
The work is sucked and fixed to the holder 1, and is supported in the holder 2 through the bush 3 so as to be movable in the vertical direction.
In addition, the upper end 52 of the pipe 1 is attached to the box 5 by the compression spring 4.
Elastically supported within. The box 5 is fixed to the lower end of the linear shaft 6, and the linear shaft 6 is vertically movable within the housing 8 via a bearing 7. The holder 2 is attached to the lower end of the housing 8 by the cap 9.

The upper end 53 of the linear shaft 6 is pressed against the feed screw 12 of the motor 11 by the compression spring 10. The motor 11 is a motor of a type in which the rotary motion of the rotor proportional to the number of input pulses is converted into a translational motion by the feed screw 12. However, the drive source is not limited to the motor, and may be an air cylinder or an electromagnetic solenoid.
The motor 11 is a bracket 1 fixed to the upper end of the housing 8.
3, and the gripper 14 is attached to the rear portion 56 of the bracket 13 in parallel with the housing 8.
Fingers 16 are fixed to the gripper 14 via left and right arms 15. The fingers 16 are in a position where they are in sliding contact with the lower end surface 54 of the holder or when a slight gap is generated when the gripper 14 is closed.

[0008]

Next, the handling operation of the embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of the embodiment having only the suction type hand, which is a handling operation when precise positioning is not required. First, in FIG. 3A, the tube 1 is pressed against the work 0 in the pallet 21 by driving the motor 11. At this time, since the upper end portion 52 of the pipe 1 is elastically supported by the spring 4, the pipe 0 does not exert an excessive pressure. By performing vacuum suction in this state, misalignment during suction is minimized.

Work 0 adsorbed on the lower end surface 51 of the tube 1
Is adsorbed and fixed to the lower end surface 54 of the holder when the lower end surface 51 of the tube 1 is raised and the lower end surface 51 is housed in the holder 2 (FIG. 3B). This is work 0, tube 1, holder 2,
This is because the closed space surrounded by the bush 3 has a negative pressure. Although it is moved onto another pallet 22 by an external transfer means and the vacuum suction is stopped, the work 0 is not yet separated at this point (FIG. 3 (c)). When the pipe 1 is lowered, the work 0 is forcibly separated from the lower end surface 54 of the holder (see FIG. 3).
(D)), the pipe 1 is raised again to complete the detachment of the work 0 (FIG. 3 (e)). Here, as shown in FIG. 5, a cutout 55 is provided in a part of the lower end surface 51 of the tube 1 (FIG. 5A).
By slightly tilting (FIG. 5B), the detachability of the work 0 is further improved. The notch 55 is set to a size that does not cause insufficient suction force due to excessive air leakage.

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory view according to an embodiment of the system in which the above-mentioned gripper 14 is attached, and is a handling operation when precise positioning is required. . 4A and 4B are the same operations as those in FIGS. 3A and 3B, respectively. FIG. 4C shows a positioning operation of the work 0 by closing the finger 16. Since the work 0 is sucked and fixed to the lower end surface 54 of the holder, the pallet 21
The finger 16 can surely grip without being affected by the thickness variation and the hand positioning error.

After moving to the pallet 22, the finger 16
Is released and the pipe 1 is lowered to accurately transfer the work 0 to the target position (FIG. 4 (d)). At this point, the fingers 16 are closed again, but the closing width of the fingers 16 is preset to a distance that does not contact the tube 1 (see FIG. 4).
(E)). When the vacuum suction is stopped and the tube 1 is raised, the work 0 slightly lifts up to the height where the upper surface 57 of the work 16 comes into contact with the fingers 16, but the work 0 is separated from the work 1 and the work 0 is completely removed (FIG. 4 (f)). ).

[0012]

According to the present invention, it is possible to suck and fix a fine work without damaging the work, and accurately separate the work after accurate positioning.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a handling operation of an embodiment having a structure of only a suction system.

FIG. 4 shows a handling operation of an embodiment using both suction and grip methods.

FIG. 5 shows a partial shape of an example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Tube 2 Holder 3 Bushing 4 Compression Spring 5 Box 6 Linear Shaft 7 Bearing 8 Housing 9 Cap 10 Compression Spring 11 Motor 12 Feed Screw 13 Bracket 14 Gripper 15 Arm 16 Finger 17 Tube

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A hand for microscopic objects, comprising a tube supported in a holder having a closed structure chamber so as to be vertically movable, a drive device for moving the tube, and a suction mechanism including a vacuum suction device. 2. A hand for a fine object in which the suction mechanism according to claim 1 is provided with a gripper as a gripping mechanism, and a finger, which is a work gripping portion of the gripper, is positioned adjacent to the lower end surface of the holder. 3. The work is adsorbed to the lower end surface of the pipe by vacuum suction, and when the lower end surface of the pipe is lifted and housed in the holder, the work is adsorbed and fixed to the lower end surface of the holder. The method for handling a microscopic object hand according to claim 1, wherein the work is separated from the lower end surface of the holder by lowering. 4. The work is positioned by gripping the work adsorbed on the lower end surface of the holder with fingers.
3. The method for handling a microscopic object hand according to claim 2, wherein when the suction is released, the pipe is lowered and then the finger is once closed, and in this state, the pipe is raised to bring the work into contact with the finger and separate the work from the lower end surface of the pipe.