JPH0753035A - Positioning method and its device for carrying work - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance efficiency with a cycle time shortened, prevent a work from being damaged when a stopper for positioning a working position is released, and concurrently enhance versatility by letting both a carrying action for a work the working of which has been over and a carrying action for a proceeding work to the working position be simultaneously carried out. CONSTITUTION:A work W1 carried by a carrying conveyor 11 is worked at a working position raised upward, meanwhile, a first stopper 12g is positioned between the work W1 under working and a work W2 adjacent thereto while the work W2 at the head of works in the upstream is being locked by a second stopper 13, after processing has been over, the processed work W1 is lowered down to the carrying conveyor 11 so as to be delivered. Simultaneously, the work is released by the second stopper 13 so as to be carried on while the work is being locked by a third stopper 14. Simultaneously, the first stopper 12g is moved to a specified position at a synchronized speed so as to allow the work to be locked. By this constitution, a cycle time can thereby be remarkably shortened, and an enhancement of efficiency can thereby be expedited.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for positioning workpieces conveyed by a conveyor one by one at a predetermined processing position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional transfer system of this type will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 (front view) and 10 (plan view). When a workpiece w such as a cylinder block of an engine is placed on the conveyor 1 and conveyed, the type (size, shape, etc.) of the workpiece is detected by a workpiece discrimination sensor (not shown) attached at a position before the machining position, A stopper corresponding to the type projects upward from the gap between the rollers 1a of the conveyor 1 and locks the tip of the work w. For example, in the case of the work w1 shown by the chain double-dashed line, the stopper 2 corresponding to it projects, and in the case of the work w2 shown by the single-dot chain line, the corresponding stopper 3 from the position downstream of the stopper 2 in the transport direction. Project.

Next, the ceiling wall 4a of the positioning device 4 driven by a hydraulic cylinder or the like is raised, and the ceiling wall 4a is moved back and forth 2 times.
The locating pin 4b provided at the location protrudes upward from the gap between the rollers 1a of the conveyer 1, and the tip portion of the work w
The workpiece w is positioned and supported by being inserted into the engagement hole formed in advance, and further raised to be lifted above the conveyor 1 to be set at a predetermined processing position. On the other hand, stopper 2
Is drawn below the upper end of the roller 1a of the conveyor 1.

Then, the machining of the work is started at the above-mentioned machining position. When the processing of the work is completed, the ceiling wall of the positioning device 4 descends, the tip of the locate pin 4a is drawn below the upper end of the roller of the conveyor 1, and the engagement with the engagement hole of the work is released. At the same time, it is placed on the transport conveyor 1 and transported downstream. On the other hand, during the processing of the work, the work upstream from the work being processed is locked by the second stopper (Fig. 9, Fig. 9).
Although not shown by 10, the conveyance is stopped by the second stopper 13 shown in FIG. 1), and the succeeding work stands by in a state of being connected to the leading work.

Then, after passing through the retracted first stopper 2 or 3 of the machined workpiece, after confirming that the first stopper has fully risen, next to the leading workpiece on the downstream side. Adjacent workpieces are locked by a third stopper (similar to the third stopper 14 in FIG. 1), the second stopper and the leading workpiece are unlocked, and the workpieces are conveyed to the first stopper. Lock the stopper. The control for one cycle described above is repeated.

[0006]

However, such a conventional work transfer positioning method has the following problems. After machining, the workpiece is the machining area (Fig. 10
Unless it is confirmed that the first stopper cannot be moved up and that the first stopper has been fully lifted, it must be carried out from the section g) above the first stopper. Since the next work cannot be transported, the cycle time becomes long and the efficiency becomes poor.

When lowering the first stopper,
Since it descends while coming into contact with the end surface of the work, the work is likely to be scratched. Further, it is necessary to provide a plurality of first stoppers depending on the type of work. The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and shortens the cycle time by allowing the work to be processed next to be transferred to the processing position in parallel with the transfer of the work after the processing is completed. The first purpose is to improve the efficiency.

A second object of the present invention is to prevent the work from being scratched during the releasing operation of the stopper for positioning the processing position. A third object is to improve versatility by enabling the processing position to be positioned by one stopper regardless of the type of work.

[0009]

Therefore, a method for transporting and positioning a work according to the present invention is a method for sequentially transporting and positioning a work placed on a transport conveyor to a predetermined processing position. After the coming work is locked to the first stopper at a predetermined position, it is processed in a state in which the work is lifted up and positioned by the positioning means from the conveyor, and the leading work on the upstream side in the carrying direction of the work being processed. The second stopper is engaged with the workpiece to stop the transportation while the workpiece conveyed to the upstream side is connected, and the first stopper is unlocked from the workpiece, and then the machining is performed. When the work is moved to a position between the inner work and the first work adjacent to the upstream side, and the machining of the work is completed, the positioning means descends to convey the work. The second stopper and the leading work are locked while the third stopper is locked to the next work adjacent to the upstream side of the leading work at the same time as the third work is conveyed to the downstream side. The work is released and the work is conveyed, and then the third stopper is released to lock the work conveyed to the downstream side with the second stopper, and is substantially synchronized with the conveyance of the leading work. It is characterized by a cycle operation in which the first stopper is moved at a predetermined speed to stop at the position where the leading work is locked at the predetermined position.

A work transfer / positioning apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus for sequentially transferring and positioning a work placed on a transfer conveyor to a predetermined processing position, in which the work transferred by the transfer conveyor is engaged at a predetermined position. A first stopper, which can be stopped and released freely, and which is movable by a predetermined amount along the transfer direction of the transfer conveyor, and a work transferred to a predetermined position by the first stopper from the transfer conveyor. Positioning means that lifts up and positions at a predetermined processing position, a second stopper that is configured to be freely locked / unlocked with a leading workpiece upstream of the workpiece that is being processed, and the second stopper. A third stopper that is configured to be freely locked and released with a workpiece adjacent to the upstream side of the workpiece to be stopped and the positioning means during machining of the workpiece. The first stopper is positioned between the workpiece being machined and the upstream head workpiece, the second stopper is locked to the upstream head workpiece, and after the machining is completed, While the positioning means is lowered to convey the work after processing to the downstream side by the conveyer conveyor, the third stopper engages with the work adjacent to the upstream side of the first work while engaging the second stopper and the first work. Then, the third stopper is released to lock the work conveyed to the downstream side by the second stopper, and the conveyance of the leading work is substantially performed. The first stopper is moved at a synchronized speed to be stopped at the predetermined position, the work is locked to the stopped first stopper, and then the positioning means is lifted and supported. Sequential control Characterized by being configured to include a stage, a.

Here, the first stopper slightly moves to the downstream side in the conveying direction of the work, and stands up to the side of the work to release the lock with the work, and then, between the works. It may be configured to move to the position of (1), fall to the work side, and be set in a lockable state. In addition, the work control device includes a work type determination unit that determines the type of the work, and the sequential control unit variably controls the position where the first stopper engages with the work according to the determined type of the work. Good.

[0012]

The work is processed in a state in which the work is lifted above the transport conveyor by the positioning means at the position in the transport direction where it is locked by the first stopper, and the first stopper releases the lock on the work in the meantime. After that, it moves between the work being processed and the upstream work and stands by.

On the other hand, during the machining of the work, the first work of the works on the upstream side is held in a state of being locked to the second stopper and connecting the succeeding works. Then, when the processing of the work is completed, the positioning means descends and the work is placed on the transfer conveyer so that the work is transferred to the downstream side. Further, in parallel with the transfer operation of the work after the processing, the third stopper locks the work adjacent to the leading work on the upstream side, while the second stopper locks the leading work. It is released and is transported to the downstream side by the transport conveyor, the first stopper is moved to a position where it is locked to the work at the processing position at a speed substantially synchronized with the transport, and the work is stopped on the first stopper stopped at the position. Lock.

The control for one cycle is repeated.
In this way, the work transfer operation after the end of processing and the transfer operation of the work to be processed next to the processing position can be performed in parallel, so the cycle time is shortened.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 8 showing the configuration of one embodiment, a work W (W1, W2 such as a cylinder block; 2 in this embodiment).
The first stopper mechanism 12 that can be locked / released at a predetermined position corresponding to the processing position of the workpiece W is provided at the side of the conveyor 11 for sequentially transporting The second stopper 13 that can be locked / released at the front end of the work W to be processed next on the upstream side in the conveying direction, and the third stopper 13 that can be locked / released further on the work W adjacent to the upstream side. Stopper 14 is provided.

The transfer conveyor 11 supports rollers 11a arranged in a line in the transfer direction and rotating about an axis, and both ends of the roller 11a, and guides the work W so that it does not come off the transfer path. It is configured to include a guide 11b. The first stopper mechanism 12 is supported on a side surface of the transfer conveyor 11 and is a ball screw 12b that is rotated in the normal direction / reverse direction about an axis by a servo motor 12a, and the ball screw 12b.
Work W by engaging with the guide rail 12c
A reciprocating arm member 12d, an actuator 12e fixed to the arm member 12d, and a tip end portion that is pivotally supported in a vertical plane by the arm member 12d and is movable in a predetermined section (G in the figure) along the transport direction. A lever 12f connected to the actuator 12e, and a first stopper 12g that swings integrally with the lever 12f via a rotary shaft, and is configured to have a first stopper when the rod of the actuator 12e extends.
When 12g is set at a position where it swings clockwise in FIG. 8 and engages with the work W, and the rod of the actuator 12e shortens, the first stopper 12g stands up as shown by the chain line in FIG. Is set to the position where the lock is released.

The second stopper 13 is the first stopper 12
A central portion is swingably supported in a horizontal plane on a side wall of the transfer conveyor 11 on the same side as, and an engaging surface 13a for engaging with the work W is formed at a tip end in the transfer direction. The third stopper 14 is
Similarly, a central portion bent into an L shape on the side wall of the conveyor 11 is pivotally supported in a horizontal plane so as to be freely engaged with the work W.
The end portion extending from 14a is engaged with the end portion of the second stopper 13, the elongated hole and the pin so as to freely swing and have play.

The end portion of the third stopper 14 is swingably connected to the rod of the actuator 15 whose end portion is swingably supported by the bracket 15 fixed to the side wall of the conveyor 11. , Thereby the actuator
When the rod 15 extends, as shown in FIG. 1, the third stopper 14 is set to the position where the engagement with the work W is released, and the engagement surface 13a of the second stopper 13 engages with the work W. It is set to the position to do. Also, when the rod of the actuator 15 is shortened, as shown in FIG.
While 14 swings counterclockwise to lock the work W with the work W, the second stopper 13 swings clockwise to work W.
The lock with is designed to be released.

On the other hand, a positioning device 16 is provided below the work W processing area of the conveyor 11. Positioning device 16
Is connected to a ceiling wall 16b at the upper end of a vertically moving piston of a hydraulic cylinder 16a supported on the floor. A base plate 16c having a long shape in the front-rear direction is fixed to the upper surface of the cylinder wall of the hydraulic cylinder 16a, and hollow members 16d are fixed to positions of the base plate 16c in front of and behind the hydraulic cylinder 16a.
A rod 16e, which is fixed to the lower surface of 16b and hangs down, is fitted into each of the hollow members and has a mechanism for guiding the vertical movement of the ceiling wall 16b.

On the upper surface of the ceiling wall 16b, a conveyer conveyor 11
A work receiving member 16f for projecting upward from the gap between the rollers to support the work W and a locate pin 16g for positioning the work W are erected. these,
The first to third stoppers and the positioning device are control devices.
Sequence control is performed by a control signal from the (control means) to sequentially convey and position the work W to the processing position.

Next, a series of conveyance positioning control by the control device will be described. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the work W is being processed. At this time, the workpiece W being machined is positioned by the positioning device 16 by engaging the upper end portion of the locate pin 16g with an engagement hole formed in the bottom wall of the workpiece W in advance, and through the workpiece receiving member 16f. Transport conveyor 11
It is processed in a state of being lifted up to a predetermined processing position.

At this time, in the work W on the upstream side, the first work W is locked by the second stopper 13 and
14 is in a state where the engagement with the work W is released,
The work W conveyed upstream as shown in FIG.
Is waiting in a state of being connected in a pool. Further, the first stopper 12g is moved to the left in FIG. 1 by the ball screw 12b driven by the servomotor 12a after the engagement with the workpiece W being processed is released, as will be described later, and the workpiece being processed. It is located between W and the leading work W adjacent to the upstream side, and the actuator 12d is extended so that the first stopper 12g is set to be able to engage with the succeeding work W.

When the processing of the work W is completed, the hydraulic cylinder 16a of the positioning device 16 operates to move the ceiling wall 16b.
Is lowered and the work receiving member 16f is lowered from the upper end of the roller 11a of the conveyer 11, the work W is conveyed by the work W.
When the work W is placed on the upper surface and the engagement between the locate pin 16g and the engaging hole of the work W is released, the work W is carried to the downstream side by the carrying conveyor 11.

On the other hand, in parallel with this operation, the rod of the actuator 15 is shortened so that the second stopper 13 engages with the corresponding work W while the third stopper 14 is engaged with the tip of the corresponding work W. It is released. As a result, the work W unlocked from the second stopper 13 is transferred to the conveyor.
It is transported to the downstream side by 11. At the same time, servo motor
The first stopper 12g moves to the downstream side at a speed substantially synchronized with the conveyed work W by driving 12a and the rotation of the ball screw 12c, and moves to a position where the succeeding work W is locked at the processing position. Stop. Here, the type (size, shape) of the work W is discriminated by a work W discrimination sensor (not shown) on the front side of the machining position of the work W, and the first stopper 12g of the first stopper 12g is discriminated according to the discriminated type of the work W. The stop position is determined. For example, two types of work W1, W
When the workpiece 2 is conveyed, the workpiece W2 having a large length in the conveying direction is stopped at a position which is lowered by the distance L toward the downstream side as compared with the case of the workpiece W1 as shown in FIG.

When the work W is locked by the first stopper 12g and positioned in the carrying direction, the hydraulic cylinder 16a of the positioning device 16 is actuated to move up together with the ceiling wall 16b from between the rollers 11a. The projecting locate pin 16g engages with the front and rear engaging holes of the work W, and the work receiving member 16f
Supports the bottom wall of the work W and lifts it by a predetermined amount above the conveyor 11 to set it at a prescribed processing position.

Then, the servo motor 12a is driven again to move the first stopper 12g to the downstream side in the carrying direction by a predetermined amount K, and the actuator 12d is extended to stand upright in the vertical direction. After releasing the lock
Move a predetermined amount G upstream in the transport direction
Shorten 12d and set it in the horizontal position. On the other hand, the actuator 15 is extended again to extend the third stopper 14
While releasing the engagement between the workpiece W and the workpiece W, the workpiece W conveyed to the downstream side is locked by the second stopper 13.

By the above series of cycle operations, the above-mentioned initial state during processing is returned. With such a configuration, the first stopper 12g may be preliminarily brought into a state (horizontal position) in which the first stopper 12g can be locked with the work W without waiting for the work W to be carried out from the work area after the end of the work. The work W to be machined next can be conveyed to the machining position in parallel with the carry-out operation without waiting for the operation to the lockable state, and the cycle time can be greatly shortened and the efficiency can be improved. Can be promoted.

Further, since the first stopper 12g is constructed so as to be freely movable in the predetermined section G in the carrying direction, the operation of releasing the engagement with the work W is moved to the downstream side in the carrying direction of the work W. Since it can be performed, there is no risk of causing scratches on the end surface of the work W, and furthermore, it is possible to deal with a plurality of types of works W by moving one first stopper 12g.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to carry out the work after the machining is finished and carry in the work to be processed next in parallel, so that the cycle time can be greatly reduced. It can be shortened and efficiency can be promoted. Also,
With the structure in which the first stopper is moved to the downstream side in the transport direction and released, the work is not damaged.

Further, by changing the stop position of the first stopper for a work having a different size and shape, it is possible to deal with the work without increasing the number of stoppers, and the versatility is promoted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention during work processing.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the work just after finishing the machining.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a work of a different type.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the workpiece to be processed next, which is being positioned in the transport direction.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the work when the work is lifted to the processing position.

FIG. 8 is a rear view similarly showing the vicinity of the first stopper.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a conventional example.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

 W1, W2 Work 11 Transport conveyor 12 First stopper mechanism 12g First stopper 13 Second stopper 14 Third stopper 16 Positioning device

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method of sequentially transporting and positioning workpieces placed on a transport conveyor to predetermined processing positions, after locking the workpieces transported by the transport conveyor at a predetermined position with a first stopper. While being processed by the positioning means so as to be lifted above the conveyor and positioned, the second workpiece is conveyed to the upstream side by locking the second stopper on the leading workpiece upstream of the workpiece in the conveying direction. After the work is connected, the conveyance is stopped, and after the first stopper is unlocked from the work, it is moved between the work being processed and the first work adjacent to the upstream side. Then, when the processing of the work is completed, the positioning means descends to place the work on the transfer conveyor and transfer it to the downstream side, and at the same time, the third stopper is moved to the front end. While locking the next work adjacent to the upstream side of the second work, the second stopper and the first work are unlocked to convey the work, and then the third stopper is locked. Is released and the work conveyed to the downstream side is locked by the second stopper, and the first stopper is moved at a speed substantially synchronized with the conveyance of the first work to move the first work. A method for conveying and positioning a work, which comprises a cycle operation of stopping at a position where it is locked at a predetermined position. 2. An apparatus for sequentially transferring and positioning a work placed on a transfer conveyor to a predetermined processing position, wherein the work transferred by the transfer conveyor can be locked / released at a predetermined position, and A first stopper configured to be movable by a predetermined amount along the transfer direction of the transfer conveyor, and a workpiece transferred to a predetermined position by the first stopper is lifted above the transfer conveyor and positioned at a predetermined processing position. Positioning means for locking and locking the leading work upstream from the work being processed.
A second stopper configured to be freely released, a third stopper configured to be locked / released with a work adjacent to the upstream side of the work locked by the second stopper, and during machining of the work Supports the work by the positioning means, positions the first stopper between the work being processed and the leading work on the upstream side, and locks the second stopper on the leading work on the upstream side. Then, after the machining is completed, the positioning means is lowered to convey the work after the machining to the downstream side by the conveyor, while the second stopper is engaged with the work adjacent to the upstream side of the leading work by the third stopper. And the leading work is unlocked to be transported to the downstream side, and then the third stopper is unlocked to lock the workpiece transported to the downstream side with the second stopper, and Carrying the first work The first stopper is moved at a speed substantially in synchronism with the first stopper to stop at the predetermined position, the work is locked to the stopped first stopper, and then the positioning means is raised to support the work. A workpiece transfer and positioning device comprising: a sequential control means for controlling; 3. The first stopper moves between the work and the work after the work is slightly moved to the downstream side in the conveying direction and the work is erected to the side of the work to unlock the work. The work transfer and positioning device according to claim 2, wherein the work transfer and positioning device is configured to move to a position, fall to the work side, and be set in a lockable state. 4. A work type discriminating means for discriminating a work type, wherein the sequential control means variably controls a position where the first stopper is engaged with the work according to the discriminated work type. The work transfer and positioning device according to claim 2 or 3.