JPH0815875B2 - Welding equipment for automobile body - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A. Objectives of the Invention (1) Field of Industrial Application The present invention sets and positions body constituent parts such as a floor panel, left and right side panels, and a front panel, which constitute an automobile body, at predetermined positions. The present invention relates to an automobile body welding apparatus for forming a body assembly and performing welding on the body assembly to form a white body.

(2) Conventional Technology In the conventional welding apparatus for automobile bodies, a floor panel and left and right side panels are preset at a set station on a bogie capable of reciprocating, and then the bogie is traveled to a welding station where the positioning and welding apparatus is installed. Thus, the panel parts are integrally welded, and the insertion of a plurality of other panel parts into the carriage, their positioning, and welding are performed at a plurality of locations.

(3) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the above-mentioned conventional one, since the floor panel, the left and right side panels and the like are preset at the preset positions, the swinging of the carriage while they move to the welding position. However, there is a problem that positioning defects of those panel parts occur due to vibration, vibration, etc., and the positioning set jig becomes expensive, and moreover, means for loading, positioning, welding, etc. of the panel parts are spread over a plurality of places. There is a problem that not only the equipment becomes large as a whole but also the equipment cost increases significantly because the whole tends to become large.

Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, for example, JP-A-61
Although it has been proposed to centrally position and weld a plurality of body constituent parts in a welding station as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 12474, in this proposal, a floor panel, left and right side panels, A plurality of jig units 1, 5, which are individually mounted with a plurality of body constituent parts such as a roof panel and are cyclically moved along with the body constituent parts in a parts conveying system to a welding station.
8 and 11 are used, and these jig units are positioned by the dedicated positioning devices 4, 7, and 10 at the welding station, so that the individual body components A, B,
C to E, F will be positioned via the dedicated jig units 1, 5, 8 and 11, respectively, so that when a series of welding operations are completed and these jig units are no longer needed, It is necessary to separate the jig unit from the corresponding body component and return it to the original component transfer system (that is, the circular movement), and the movement of the component transfer system becomes complicated as a whole, and the component transfer system and welding station There is a problem that the structure is large and complicated. Further, in the above-mentioned proposal, since the positioning of each body component is indirectly performed through the jig unit interposed between the component and the positioning device, the dimension of the body component is an error factor of the positioning. In addition to variations in the above, variations in dimensions of each jig unit are added, and there is a problem that accuracy control is not easy as a whole.

The present invention, while solving these problems, enables a welding station to collectively perform all the steps of supplying body component parts such as floor panels, left and right side panels, front panels, positioning sets, and welding. Another object of the present invention is to provide a welding device for an automobile body.

B. Structure of the Invention (1) Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a floor panel, a front panel, left and right side panels, etc. constituting an automobile body on a set table of a welding station. A plurality of component supply devices for sequentially and intensively supplying the plurality of body component parts and directly positioning and setting the body component parts at a predetermined assembly position on the set table;
A body assembly that is centrally provided in the welding station and is directly positioned and set at a predetermined assembly position on the set table by the plurality of component supply devices and is directly clamped at the set position. And a plurality of automatic welding machines that are centrally arranged in the welding station and that weld the welded portions of the body assembly to form an automobile body.

(2) Operation According to the above configuration, a plurality of component supply devices sequentially and intensively supply a plurality of body components such as a floor panel, front panel, left and right side panels of an automobile body onto the set table of the welding station. Then, directly set the positioning to the regular assembly position on the set table, then by the positioning jig on the welding station,
A plurality of body components on a set table are directly clamped at their set positions to form a body assembly, and the welded portion of this body assembly is welded by an automatic welding machine on a welding station. A body (white body) is created.

(3) Example One example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In the present embodiment, “front, rear” and “left, right” are referred to with reference to the transport direction of the formed vehicle body (white body) Bw.

This embodiment is a case where the present invention is applied to a truck type automobile. In FIG. 1, body components constituting an automobile body before painting, that is, a white body Bw, that is, a floor panel FlP, a front panel FrP, and a back panel are shown. B
p, left and right side panels SP, SP and roof panel RP are shown exploded. These body components are positioned and set at one position, that is, a positioning welding station ST ₂ described later, and then welded by an automatic welding machine, that is, an automatic welding robot Ro to form a white body Bw.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, a base 1 installed on the installation surface is provided with a transport path 2 along the front-rear direction (X direction), and a transaver bar 3 described later makes one reciprocating movement along the transport path 2. The white body Bw is completed in the meantime. Floor panel set station ST ₁ and welding station S on base 1.
T ₂ and payout stations ST ₃ are arranged in tandem along the transport path 2. On the transport path 2, the stations ST ₁ ,
Transit bar 3 passes through ST ₂ and ST ₃ vertically, and
Direction). The transaver 3 is movable back and forth along the transport path 2 and can be moved up and down to transport the floor panel FlP to the welding station ST ₂ by the forward movement thereof as described later and to discharge the completed white body Bw. The front panel FrP is transported to ST ₃ and is used for traveling back to weld station S.
Supply to T ₂ .

The transaver 3 is reciprocally controlled in the front-rear direction (X direction) by the front-rear moving device 4, and is also vertically moved (Z direction) by the elevating device 5, and these devices 4 and 5 will be described in order below. To do.

As shown in FIG. 16, the transaver 3 is housed in a housing frame 6 having a concave cross section, and rolling rollers 7, 7 rotatably provided on both sides of the housing 3 roll on both side walls of the housing frame 6. It is freely engaged. The lower surface of Toransaba 3 is fixed rack 8 extending in the longitudinal direction, the rack 8 is projected downward elongated holes 6 ₁ in the lower wall of the housing frame 6 through, and secured to the lower surface of the receiving frame 6 It is meshed with the drive pinion 10 of the drive motor 9. Therefore, by controlling the drive of the drive motor 9, the transaver bar 3 can be forcibly moved back and forth along the housing frame 6 via the drive pinion 10 and the rack 8. The drive motor 9, the drive pinion 10 and the rack 8 constitute a front-rear moving device 4 for the transaver 3.

Between the base 1 and the storage frame 6 of the transaver 3, the storage frame 6 is provided.
A plurality of elevating devices 5 are provided for elevating and lowering in parallel with the transaver 3.

The lifting devices 5 are arranged at the positions ST ₁ , ST ₂ and ST ₃ , respectively, and the lifting device 5 provided in the floor panel set station ST ₁ is clearly shown in FIG. Reference numeral 5 denotes a pair of cross links 11 and 11 for connecting between both sides of the housing frame 6 of the transabber 3 and the base 1.
And an elevating cylinder 12 for bending and stretching these cross links 11, 11,
The rear end of 1 is rotatably supported by the base 1 and the housing frame 13 and 14, and its front end is elongated holes 15, 1 provided in the base 1 and the housing frame 6.
6 is slidably engaged. And the lifting cylinder 12
Is connected to the front end of the cross link 11. Therefore, by operating the lifting cylinders 12 of the plurality of lifting devices 5 in synchronization, the transverser 3 is moved through the cross links 11, 11.
Can be moved up and down in parallel with the housing frame 6.

As shown in FIG. 2, an overhead conveyor is provided above the floor panel setting station ST ₁ and the welding station ST ₂ along the transport direction (X direction) of the transport path 2.
Co ₁ is provided, and a transport hanger 17 is hung on this overhead conveyor Co ₁ . This transfer hanger 17 suspends the floor panel FlP and the left and right side panels SP, SP as clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and transfers the floor panel FlP to the floor panel set station ST ₁ and a pair of side panels SP. , SP is transported to above welding station ST ₂ .

As clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the transfer hanger 17 is a base frame 18 suspended from the overhead conveyor Co ₁ and can be opened and closed via left and right swing levers 19 and 19 at both ends of the base frame 18. Gate-shaped left and right opening and closing frames 20,2
0, which includes the base frame 18 and the left and right swing lever 1
The expansion and contraction operation of the expansion and contraction cylinders 21 and 21 connected between the 9 and 19 allows the left and right opening / closing frames 20 and 20 to be forcibly opened and closed left and right.

Hook-shaped left and right side panel receivers 22,22 are integrally provided on the outer front portions of the left and right opening / closing frames 20,20 so as to project outward, and further, the front and rear ends on the inner side of the opening / closing frames 20,20 are Rear floor panel receivers 23, 23, 24, 24 are integrally provided so as to project inward, and the left and right side panel receivers 22, 22 respectively have left and right side panels as shown in FIGS. SP, SP
Is detachably hung, and front and rear floor panel supports 23,2
A floor panel FlP is supported on the bridge 4 in a substantially horizontal and detachable manner.

Next, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 together with FIGS. 4 and 5, the structure of the floor panel setting station ST ₁ will be described. When the transaver 3 is in the retracted position, the rear end portion of the station ST ₁ is Are to be entered from the front, and one of the lifting devices 5 for lifting and lowering them is provided. A pair of columns 26, 26 are erected on the left and right sides of the base 1, and a drop lifter 27 as a feeder for the floor panel FlP is provided on the columns 26, 26 so as to be vertically movable. The drop lifter 27 is provided with support arms 28, 28 that can move up and down along the columns 26, 26, and these support arms 28, 28 extend in a cantilever manner substantially horizontally in the front-rear direction (X direction). ing. As shown in FIG. 4, each support arm 28 has
A rotating shaft 29, which is substantially parallel to this, is rotatably supported via bearings 30, 30. An open / close cylinder 31 is connected to the rear end of the rotary shaft 29 via an arm 34, and the rotary shaft 29 can be rotated within a predetermined angle range by the operation of the open / close cylinder 31. Rotating shaft 29
The front and rear floor panel support arms 32, 33 are integrally fixed to the front and rear sides of the front and rear floor panel support arms 32, 33, respectively. It is possible to rotate around the rotation shafts 29, 29 by the operation of 31, 31 and receive the floor panel FlP from the transfer hanger 17. By operating the drop lifter 27, the floor panel FlP can be lowered from the solid line position in FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a pair of front locating pins P ₁ and P ₂ and rear locating pins P ₂ and P ₂ are provided on the rear portion of the transvers bar 3 so as to project upward. , the rear positioning pins P _1, P ₁ and P _2, P _2, the positioning pin holes h ₁ bored in the lowered to floor panels FlP the drop lifter 27, h _1, h _1, h ₂ is fitted, Floor panel FlP
Are temporarily set on the transaver 3.

The transabber 3 on which the floor panel FlP is set is lifted by the lifting device 5 and then moved forward by the front-rear moving device 4 to fix the floor panel FlP to the welding station ST ₂
Supply to And the transaver 3 is a floor panel
It constitutes the FlP feeder Sfl.

Next, the structure of the welding station ST ₂ will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 as well as FIGS. 6 to 9. In this station ST ₂ , the body components that form the white body Bw, that is, the floor panel FlP and the front panel. FrP, back panel Bp, left and right side panels SP, SP and roof panel RP are all centrally supplied and positioned and set in a predetermined position, which are welded to each other by an automatic welding machine, that is, an automatic welding robot Ro, to form a white body. Bw is completed.

The base 1 corresponding to the welding station ST ₂ is formed wide (see FIG. 3), and the transabber 3 runs vertically on the base 1, and the front half of the transverser 3 moves forward, and the rear half moves backward. Then half is located. The transaver 3
One of the plurality of lifting devices 5 ... Is disposed between the base 1 and the base 1.

Outside the transaver 3, on the base 1, on the left,
The right set tables 36, 36 are fixed. Left, before the front and rear portions of the right set table 36, the rear positioning pin P _3, P ₃ and P _4, P ₄ is upwardly projected, these pins P _3, P ₃ and P _4, P Front and rear pin holes h ₃ , h ₃ and h ₄ , h ₄ (FIG. 1) of the floor panel FlP are fitted into the floor ₄ . That is, the floor panel FlP that has been transported to the fixed position of the welding station ST ₂ by the transaver 3 is lowered by the descent of the transaver ₃ , and the pin holes h ₃ , h ₃ and h ₄ , h of the floor panel FlP are lowered.
₄ is fitted into the positioning pins P ₃ , P ₃ and P ₄ , P ₄ , and the floor panel FlP is positioned and set on the set tables 36, 36 (see FIGS. 2, 6, 7). A pair of left and right lower positioning jigs Jd, Jd and upper positioning jigs Ju, Ju are provided on the left and right sides of the set tables 36, 36 of the welding station ST _{2 so} as to be spaced apart from each other above and below.

Next, the structure of the lower positioning jig Jd will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. 6, 7, and 8. Brackets 37, 37 are installed on the base 1 at intervals in the front and rear. A support block 40 is provided on each of 37 and 37 via a substantially horizontal support shaft 39.
Is pivotally supported so that it can swing in the left-right direction. Support block
A rocking cylinder 41 is connected between 40 and the bracket 37,
By the expansion and contraction operation of the cylinder 41, the support blocks 40, 40 can be forcibly rocked up and down as shown in FIG. 7 (s). The advancing / retreating cylinders 42, 42 are penetratingly supported by the support blocks 40, 40, and the angle arms 4 are attached to the front ends of the advancing / retreating cylinders 42, 42.
3, 43 are integrally connected, and the angle arms 43, 43 can be moved forward and backward as shown by the arrow (r) in FIG. 7 by the expansion and contraction operation of the forward and backward cylinders 42, 42. As clearly shown in FIG. 6, a support shaft 44 extending substantially horizontally in the front-rear direction is integrally connected between the front and rear angle arms 43, 43.
The first, second and third clamp arms 46, 47 and 48 are fixed integrally in a comb shape with a space in the axial direction. First and second
And, the third clamp arms 46, 47 and 48 all extend upward, and the conventionally known first, second and third clamp jigs Cl ₁ , Cl ₂ and Cl ₃ are supported on the upper portions thereof. When both the swing cylinder 41 and the advancing / retreating cylinder 42 are contracted, the first to third clamp arms 46, 47 and 48 move to the eighth position.
Holds in retracted position as shown and swing cylinder
If both 41 and advance / retreat cylinder 42 are extended,
~ The third clamp arms 46, 47 and 48 are held in the forward position as shown in Fig. 7, the first clamp jig Cl ₁ is between the front panel FrP and the floor panel FlP, and the second clamp jig Cl ₂ is Between the floor panel FlP and the side panel SP, and the third clamp jig Cl ₃ is the side panel SP and the back panel B.
The body parts can be clamped by clamping between p.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the welding station ST ₂ , two front and rear columns 50, 50 and 51, 51 are erected so as to surround the set tables 36, 36 on which the floor panel FlP is positioned and mounted. The left and right front and rear columns 50, 51 and the pair of upper positioning jigs Ju, Ju are provided between the columns 50, 51, respectively. Next, the structure of the upper positioning jig Ju will be described. On the lower positioning jig Jd, a support shaft 52 is horizontally rotatably mounted horizontally between the front and rear columns 50 and 51. Swing arms 53, 53 are fixed to both front and rear ends of the support shaft 52, and swing cylinders 54, 54 are connected between the swing arms 53, 53 and the front and rear support columns 50, 51, respectively. Support shaft 52
The fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh clamp arms 55, 56, 57, and 58 are fixed in a comb shape from the front to the rear at a distance in the axial direction, and all of them extend downward. . The fourth to seventh clamp arms 55 to 58 can be opened and closed in the left-right direction by the expansion and contraction of the rocking cylinders 54, 54, and they are extended by the rocking cylinders 54, 54 in the eighth direction.
As shown in the figure, it is retracted to the retracted position, and its contraction operation is advanced to the working position as shown in FIG. Fourth and seventh clamp arms located at the front and rear ends
Revolving actuators 59 and 60 are attached to the base ends of 55 and 58, respectively, and by the operation of the revolving actuators 59 and 60, they can pivot about a vertical axis. 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th clamp arms 55, 56, 57
Known 58th to 7th clamp jigs Cl ₄ , Cl ₅ , Cl ₆ and Cl ₇ are provided at the tips of 58 and 58, respectively, and the fourth clamp jig Cl ₄ rotates about the support shaft 52 and front panel FrP and can be clamped between the roof panel RP by the turning operation of the vertical axis, the fifth clamping jig Cl ₅ is the support shaft 5
The side panel SP and the back panel RP can be clamped between the side panel SP and the roof panel RP by rotating about two times, and the sixth clamp jig Cl ₆ rotates about the support shaft 52 to rotate the side panel SP and the back panel.
Bp can be clamped, and further, the seventh clamp jig Cl ₇ can be clamped between the back panel Bp and the roof panel RP by rotating around the support shaft 52 and pivoting around the vertical axis.

The left and right front, rear columns 50,51 and 50,51, front,
Rear overhead conveyor Co _{1 for} welding station ST ₂
Side panel supply devices Ss, Ss including drop lifters 61, 61 for supplying the pair of left and right side panels SP, SP carried up to a predetermined positioning position are provided.

Next, the side panel supply device Ss will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 and FIGS. 6 and 7. The front and rear support columns 50 and 51 will be described.
Guides 62, 62 that are long in the vertical direction are fixed to each of these, and elevating bodies 63, 63 that make a pair with these guides 62, 62 are fitted so as to be movable up and down. The pair of lifting bodies 63, 63 can be lifted and lowered along the guides 62, 62 by lifting mechanisms 64, 64 described later, respectively. Each of the lifting mechanisms 64 includes drive sprockets 67, 67 fixed to both ends of a drive shaft 66 rotatably mounted on the front and rear columns 50, 51 and driven by a drive motor 65, and front and rear columns 50. Driven sprockets 68, 68 are rotatably supported on the lower portions of the shafts 51, 51, respectively, and endless chains 69, 69 suspended between the sprockets 67, 68 and 67, 68. The elevating bodies 63, 63 are bound in the middle of the endless chains 69, 69. Therefore, by controlling the rotation of the drive motor 65, the pair of lifting bodies 63, 63 can be vertically moved in synchronization. Front and rear lifting bodies 63, 63 are provided with advancing / retreating cylinders 70, 70, respectively, and heads 71, 71 are supported at the tips of the telescopic rods of these advancing / retreating cylinders 70, 70, and between the front and rear heads 71, 71. A claw holding shaft 72 extending substantially horizontally in the front-rear direction is rotatably provided horizontally, and the claw holding shaft 72 can be rotated by a turning actuator 73 (FIG. 7) provided on one head 71. A pair of engaging claws 74 are fixed to an intermediate portion of the claw holding shaft 72, and this is forcibly rotated together with the claw holding shaft 72 by the operation of the turning actuator 73. A guide rod 75 is supported on the lifting body 63 so as to be able to move back and forth, and the tip of the guide rod 75 is bonded to the head 71. Therefore, when the advancing / retreating cylinder 70 is expanded / contracted, the head 71 can be advanced / retracted by the detent action of the guide rod 75.

In order to supply the side panel SP, which has been transported to the welding station ST ₂ by the transport hanger 17, onto the side edge of the floor panel FlP, both the upper and lower positioning jigs Ju, Jd are provided as shown in FIG. In the state retracted to the retracted position, the lifting bodies 63, 63 of the side panel supply device Ss are lifted to near the upper limit position (solid line position in FIGS. 7 and 8).

The advancing / retreating cylinder 70 is extended (arrow a _{1 in} FIG. 8) to move the engaging claw 74 forward, and the swing actuator 73 is actuated to vertically rotate the engaging claw 74 (arrow a _{2 in} FIG. 8). While raising the engaging claw 74 (chain line in FIG. 8), move the lifting / lowering body 63 to the upper limit position (8th line).
When it is raised to the chain line (in the figure), the engaging claw 74 rises as shown by an arrow a ₃ in FIG. As a result, the engaging claws 74 move
From the side panel receiver 22 of 17, the side panel SP is received as shown by the chain line (a) in FIG. Next, the lifting body 63 is lowered,
And if extended operation control forward and backward cylinder 70, the side panels SP is lowered by following the 8 arrows _{a 4, a 5, a 6} , reaches the FIG. 8 chain line (b) position. When the advancing / retreating cylinder 70 is further extended at this point, the engaging claw 74 moves forward and the side panel SP is positioned and set at the normal welding position as shown by the solid line (c) in FIG.

Once side panels SP as described above is positioned set to the welding position of normal, the upper and lower positioning jigs Ju, to advance the Jd, first to seventh provided on their clamping jig Cl ₁ -CL ₇ Thus, the above-mentioned clamping work is performed.

After the positioning set of the left and right side panels SP, SP is raised, the lifting bodies 63, 63 are raised, and the side panel supply devices Ss, Ss stand by to receive the next left and right side panels SP, SP from the transport hanger 17. .

A front panel supply device Sf for supplying the front panel FrP is provided in front of the welding station ST ₂ . This device Sf comprises a first feeding device Sf ₁ and a second feeding device Sf ₁ .
Front panel FrP consisting of the supply device Sf ₂ and supplied to the front of the welding station ST ₂ by the first supply device Sf _1.
Is received by the second supply device Sf ₂ and supplied to the regular positioning location of the welding station ST ₂ .

Next, the structure of the front panel supply device Sf will be described.

First, regarding the first feeding device Sf ₁ , Figs. 2 and 3 and 10, 11
Explaining with reference to the drawings, a conveyance frame 77 is erected in front of the front support columns 50, 50, and a horizontal conveyance path 78 composed of lateral girders is horizontally installed in the conveyance frame 77, and a horizontal conveyance path 78 is provided. Two transport rails 79, 79 and a rack 80 are laid on the upper and lower sides of the rack along a lateral direction (Y direction) substantially orthogonal to the transport path 2. The transport rail 7
A front panel carrier 81 is reciprocally supported by 9,79, and a drive motor 82 is provided on the carrier 81, and a drive pinion 83 of the motor 82 is meshed with the rack 80. A support arm 84 is supported on the front panel carrier 81 so as to be swingable downward and forward and backward, and a pair of clamps for clamping the front window hole peripheral edge of the front panel FrP is provided on a clamp support frame 85 provided on the support arm 84. The jigs 86, 86 are supported so that the swing can be adjusted. As shown by the solid line in FIG. 3, the front panel carrier 81 waits at the loading end (upper end in FIG. 3) of the lateral transport path 78 to clamp the front panel FrP, and then runs in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3 toward the unloading end. , The front panel FrP is conveyed to the front of the set table 36 and is made to stand by there as shown by the chain line in FIG.

Next, the second supply device Sf ₂ will be described.
As clearly shown in FIG. 11, the front part of the transaver 3 is for receiving the floor panel FlP carried by the first supply device Sf _1. A receiving arm 88 that is supported 87, 87, a hoisting cylinder 89 that is connected between the arm 88 and the transaver 3 and that hoists the receiving arm 88, 88, and a clamp arm provided at the tip of the receiving arm 88. It comprises tools 90, 90 and positioning jigs 91, 91 provided on both lower sides of the receiving arm 88. The clamp jigs 86, 86 each include a fixed clamp piece and a movable clamp piece that is opened and closed by a telescopic cylinder with respect to the fixed clamp piece, and the front window hole 9 of the front panel FrP.
2 Clamp the lower edge. The positioning jigs 91, 91 are used to position the front panel FrP at a proper position by utilizing a pair of headlight holes 93, 93 formed in the front panel FrP. Positioning pieces 94, 94 that can be inserted into and engaged with and a cylinder 9 that operates them.
With 5,95. Thus, the front panel second supply device Sf
₂ receives the front panel FrP from the first feeder Sf _{1 on} the return stroke (rear stroke) of the transaver 3, and positions it on the front edges of the floor panel FlP and the left and right side panels SP, SP on the set tables 36, 36. set.

Next, in order to supply the back panel Bp onto the set tables 36, 36 of the welding station ST _2, the back panel supply device Sb
Explaining the configuration of this back panel supply device
Sb supplies back panel Bp to left and right side panels SP, SP on set table 36, 36 by using one of a plurality of automatic welding robots Ro for welding the car body after positioning set In welding station ST ₂ as shown in FIGS. 3 and 12 and 13,
Left and right robot stands 97, 98 are arranged on both sides of the transport path 2, and two automatic welding robots Ro, Ro are mounted on each robot stand 97, 98 so as to be movable. Right robot stand 9
Two mounting tables 99, 100 are arranged on the outer side of the rear part of 8, and one of the mounting tables 99 is mounted with a welding gun head 102 that is detachably attached to the tip of the robot arm 101 of one automatic welding robot Ro. The clamp head 103 for clamping the back panel Bp is mounted on the other mounting table 99. Both the welding gun head 102 and the clamp head 103 have a conventionally known structure, and these can be detachably attached to the tip of the robot arm 101 of the automatic welding robot Ro by hand or by another automatic machine (not shown). Mounted.

Further, behind the right robot base 98, a back panel carrier 104 is arranged in the lateral direction (Y direction) so as to be orthogonal to the longitudinal direction thereof, and a rail 105 laid on the carrier 104.
A cart 106 is movably supported on the top. A back panel holding base 107 is provided on the dolly 106, and the back panel Bp is erected and held on the back panel holding base 107 in a direction opposite to the assembled state of the white body Bw.

The back panel Bp transported by a transport device (not shown) is held on the carriage 106. The carriage 106 is run in the direction of arrow A and held at the inner end of the carrier 104 as shown in FIG. Since the four automatic welding robots Ro ... are all well-known in the related art, one of them will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 12, and a pair of them will be formed on the base 120 along the X direction. Guide rails 121 and 121 are laid, and a robot stand 122 is provided on these guide rails 121 and 121 so as to be movable. The pinion 124 fixed to the driving shaft of the motor 123 provided on the robot base 122 is meshed with the rack 125 fixed to the base 120, and the automatic welding robot Ro can reciprocate in the X direction by driving the motor 123. A swing frame 126 is vertically swingably supported by a horizontal pivot 127 on the robot base 122, and an undulating cylinder 128 supported by the robot base 122 is connected to the swing frame 126. The rocking frame 126 is rocked up and down as shown by the solid line and chain line in FIG. A slide base 129 is mounted on the swing frame 126 so as to be slidable in the Y direction, and a robot arm 101 is rotatably supported on the slide base 129 around a pivot 130 so that the robot arm 101 has a slide base 129.
The lifting / lowering cylinder 131 supported by the robot arm 101 is connected, and the robot arm 101 is vertically swung by the expansion / contraction operation of the lifting / lowering cylinder 131. The welding gun head 102 is supported at the tip of the robot arm 101, and the gun head 102 has a pair of fixed welding rod 102 ₁ and movable welding rod 102 ₂ .

The spot welding points of the body assembly Bo positioned on the set tables 36, 36 as described above are sequentially automatically moved by the X, Y and Z directions of the left and right four automatic welding robots Ro, Ro ... Spot welded to.

Next, the process of positioning and setting the back panel Bp on the dolly 106 at a predetermined position of the floor panel FlP on the set tables 36, 36 using one automatic welding robot Ro will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, the following operations are performed by the movement control on the robot base 122 of the automatic welding robot Ro and the turning of the robot arm 101. First, the welding gun head 102 at the tip of the robot arm 101 is moved as shown by the dotted line d ₁ in FIG. 12 and placed on the mounting table 99. The next empty robot arm 101 is moved as shown by the dotted line d ₂ in FIG. 12 to move the clamp head 103 on the mounting table 100 to the robot arm 10
After being attached to the front end of 1, the back panel Bp on the carriage 106 is clamped by the clamp head 103 by moving it as shown by the dotted line d ₃ in FIG. Next, the robot arm 101 that clamps the back panel Bp moves as shown by the dotted line d ₄ in FIG. 12 to position and set the back panel Bp at the rear edges of the left and right side panels SP, SP on the floor panel FlP. . Thus, the back panel Bp is swung 180 ° around the vertical axis while moving along the dotted line d ₄ .

Next, a roof panel supply device for supplying the roof panel RP onto the set tables 36, 36 of the welding station ST ₂
Referring to the first and second view and FIGS. 6 and 7 the structure of the Sr, the welding station ST ₂ of on set table 36, 36 is the welding station ST ₂ of obliquely forward from a substantially horizontal conveying rails 133 The leading end of the roller is curved and enters, and a transfer table 134 is movably supported on the transfer rail 133 via a plurality of rolling rollers 135. A rack 136 is provided on one side of the transfer rail 133, and the transfer table 13 is attached to the rack 136.
The pinion 138 connected to the drive motor 137 supported on the gear 4 is engaged with the drive motor 137, and the transfer table 134 can be forcibly reciprocated along the transport rail 133 by the drive control of the drive motor 137. A lift cylinder 139 is vertically supported on one side of the transport rail 133, and a substantially horizontal roof panel support plate 140 is supported at the lower end of the rod of the lift cylinder 139. A plurality of suction cups 141 are suspended downward from the lower surface of the roof panel support plate 140, and the roof panel RP is suction-supported by these suction cups 141. The roof panel support plate 140 that has adsorbed the roof panel RP is controlled by the drive motor 137 to control the transport rail 133.
When the elevator cylinder 139 is controlled to descend, the roof panel RP is moved to the predetermined positions on the set tables 36, 36 along the left and right side panels SP, SP as shown in FIGS.
Positioning set on top.

The white body Bw, which has been spot-welded at the welding station ST ₂ , is conveyed to the payout station ST ₃ by the forward movement of the transaver ₃ .

Next, regarding the configuration of this payout station ST ₃ ,
Explaining with reference to the figure, this dispensing station ST ₃
The front half of the transabber 3 is designed to enter by the forward movement of the transabber 3, and between the front part of the transabber 3 and the base 1, one of a plurality of lifting devices 5 ... Is disposed.
A body pedestal 143 is installed on the base 1, and a pair of positioning pins P ₅ , P ₅ , P ₆ ,
P ₆ is projected upward. The white body Bw which has been welded at the welding station ST ₂ is placed on the body pedestal 143 by the forward and backward movement of the transaver ₃ , and the pin holes h ₃ , h ₃ and h ₄ , h ₄ of the floor panel FlP are The positioning pins P ₅ , P ₅ , P ₆ , P ₆ are fitted and positioned. Further, the payout station ST ₃ is provided with a drop lifter 144 having the same structure as the drop lifter 27 provided in the floor panel setting station ST ₁ . That is, the drop lifter 144 is a support 145 that is erected on the base 1.
And a support arm 146 that moves up and down along the column 145. The support arm 146 is provided with a body support mechanism for lifting the white body Bw on the body pedestal 143. Since this has the same structure as the drop lifter 27 of the front panel set station ST ₁ , a detailed description will be given. Is omitted.

At the top of the dispensing station ST ₃ , white body B
The carry-in end of the payout conveyor Co ₂ which is an overhead conveyor for carrying w is located.
A transfer hanger 147 is hung on the o ₂ and the drop lifter 1
The white body Bw lifted by 44 is delivered to the transport hanger 147 and is transported by the payout conveyor Co ₂ to another coating station (not shown).

Next, referring mainly to FIGS. 2 and 3 and FIGS. 14 to 18, the floor panel FlP, the left and right side panels SP, SP, the front panel FrP, and the roof panel RP are centrally supplied to the welding station ST ₂ , and they are supplied. The work process until the track-type white body Bo having the loading platform is completed by setting the respective positions and welding them will be described.

The floor panel FlP and the left and right side panels SP, SP are hung from the transfer hanger 17 of the overhead conveyor Co _{1 and} are transferred to the floor panel loading position above the floor panel set station ST ₁ .

In the floor panel set station ST ₁ , only the floor panel FlP is transferred from the transport hanger 17 to the drop lifter 27.
The drop lifter 27 descends and is placed on the transaver 3. In this case Transabar 3 moves backwards,
Positioning pins P ₁ , P on the transaver 3 are in the lowered position
₁ and P ₂ , P ₂ … and pin holes h ₁ , h ₁ and
The h ₂ and h ₂ are fitted, and the floor panel FlP is temporarily positioned (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

The drop lifter 27 that has lowered the floor panel FlP is lifted again and waits to receive the next floor panel FlP.

On the other hand, the transabber 3 on which the floor panel FlP is placed is lifted up in parallel by the lifting device 5 ... (Arrow (1) in FIG. 14), and is moved forward by the drive motor 9 through the pinion 10 and the rack 8 (Arrow in FIG. 2)) Then, the floor panel FlP on the rear part of the transaver 3 is advanced to the welding station ST ₂ (see FIG. 17).

When the floor panel FlP reaches the welding station ST _2, the descending operation of the lifting device 5 causes the transaver bar 3 to descend (arrow (3) in FIG. 17), and the floor panel FlP is placed on the set tables 36, 36 for positioning. Set (see Figure 18). In this case, the positioning pins P ₃ , P ₃ and P ₄ , P ₄ on the set tables 36, 36 are fitted into the pin holes h ₃ , h ₃ and h ₄ , h ₄ (FIG. 1) of the floor panel FlP.

Note that the transabber 3 conveys the white body Bw, which has already been welded in the previous process, to the dispensing station ST ₃ by its forward and downward movements, and sets it on the body pedestal 143 there.

Next, of the four automatic welding robots Ro shown in FIGS. 3 and 12, one automatic welding robot Ro located on the right rear side of the set table 36, 36 holds the back panel supply device Sb as described above. The back panel Bp is received from the base 107 and set at a predetermined position on the floor panel FlP (No. 12).
See figure).

When the setting of the back panel Bp is completed, the one automatic welding robot Ro replaces the clamp head 103 with the welding gun head 102 and waits at a predetermined position like the rest of the automatic welding robots Ro (see FIG. 12).

Next, the side panel supply device Ss provided between the front and rear pillars 50, 51 receives the left and right side panels SP, SP from the transfer hanger 17 as described above, lowers them on the floor panel FlP, and sets them in place. To do. In this case, the left and right upper and lower positioning jigs Ju, Jd stand by at the retracted position so as not to interfere with the lowering of the left and right side panels SP, SP (see FIG. 8).

Left and right side panels SP, the SP completes lowered, turning the set table 36, 36 on both sides of the lower positioning jig Jd is the inner or working position, the first to third clamping jig Cl ₁ -CL ₃ provided thereto Position and clamp the left and right side panels SP, SP on the floor panel FlP (see Figures 7 and 8).

After positioning the left and right side panels SP, SP, the transaver bar 3 is provided with a front panel second supply device Sf provided at the front end thereof.
After standing up and stopping in the middle of its return stroke, after receiving the front panel FrP that has already been carried by the front panel first supply device Sf ₁ and is waiting between the welding station ST ₂ and the dispensing station ST _3. , And further, the front panel FrP is positioned and set on the front edges of the floor panel FlP and the left and right side panels SP, SP (see FIG. 18).

Finally, the roof panel is fed by the roof panel feeder Sr.
The RP is loaded onto the assembly body, lowered, and placed on the left and right side panels SP, SP.

As mentioned above, front panel FrP, back panel Bp
And When the roof panel RP is set to a predetermined position, the upper positioning jig Ju operating in the working position, to clamp them by fourth to seventh clamp jig Cl ₄ -CL ₇ provided in it. (See Figures 6 and 7).

When the floor panel FlP, the front panel FrP, the left and right side panels SP, SP and the roof panel RP are positioned and set on the set table in the above steps to form the body assembly Bo, the four automatic welding robots Ro The robot arm 101 operates through the gap between the upper and lower positioning jigs Ju and Jd, and the comb-shaped clamp arms 55 to 58 and 46 to 48 of the jigs Ju and Jd. The white body Bw is completed by spot welding the predetermined welding points of the assembly Bo. In this case, the positioning jig is divided into an upper positioning jig Ju and a lower positioning jig Jd to form an unobstructed gap therebetween, so that the robot arm 101 of the automatic welding robot Ro can easily pass through the spot. Welding becomes easier.

When the welding work is completed, the automatic welding robot Ro and the upper and lower positioning jigs Ju and Jd are returned to the standby position.
Then, the transabber 3 is raised to lift the white body Bw from the set tables 36, 36. At this time, the positioning pins P ₁ , P ₁ and P ₂ , P ₂ on the transaver 3 are engaged with the pin holes h ₁ , h ₁ and h ₂ , h ₂ ... (FIG. 1) of the floor panel FlP, Change the white body Bw from the set table 36, 36 to the transabber 3.

Next, move the transabber 3 forward, white body Bw
To the dispensing station ST ₃ .

When the white body Bw comes to the payout station ST ₃ , the transabber 3 is lowered to put the white body Bw on the body pedestal 143. In this case, the positioning pins P ₅ , P ₅ and P ₆ , P ₆ on the body pedestal 143 are pin holes h of the floor panel FlP.
Fit in ₃ , h ₃ and h ₄ , h ₄ .

The white body Bw on the body pedestal 143 is lifted by the drop lifter 144, received by the transfer hanger 147 of the payout conveyor Co ₂ , and carried to another station (not shown).

After the white body Bw has been dispensed, the transabber 3 is moved backward to receive the white body Bw after the completion of welding in the next process, in which case the front panel first supply device Sf _{1 is} provided between the welding station ST ₂ and the dispensing station ST _3. , The front panel FrP has already been set, the transaver 3 stops the reverse movement at 1 o'clock, and the apparatus Sf ₂ receives the front panel FrP by the standing up of the front panel second supply apparatus Sf _{2 at} the tip thereof.

Welding station ST ₂ at the same time as the above dispensing process
Then, the floor panel FlP and the left and right side panels SP, SP are already positioned and set on the set tables 36, 36, and the transaver 3 which has received the front panel FrP in the above-mentioned returning stroke, the front panel FrP is welded to the welding station ST. _{At the} same time as handing over to the set table 36, 36 of _{No. 2} (corresponding to the above), at the front panel set station ST ₁ , the floor panel FlP of the next step is placed on the transserver 3
Is set by being dropped from the drop lifter 27.

Thus, the steps 1 to 3 are continuously performed. While the above-mentioned steps (1) to (4) are performed, the transserver 3 is at the 19th position.
The operation cycle shown in FIGS. (1), (2) and (3) is repeated. That is, as shown in Fig. 19 (1), when the transabber 3 is in the retracted or lowered position, the floor panel FlP is set on it at the floor panel setting station ST ₁ , and the welding of the panels is completed at the welding station ST _2. Is done.

After welding is completed, the transabber 3 moves up and advances to the first position.
As shown in Fig. 19 (2) with paid out a white body Bw the dispensing station ST ₃ for conveying the floor panels FlP the welding station ST _2.

Next, the transaver 3 descends, sets the floor panel FlP on the set tables 36, 36 as shown in FIG. 19 (3), and then retracts to return to the state of FIG. 19 (1). Then, in the backward stroke, the vehicle stops at 1 o'clock and the front panel second supply device Sf ₂ receives the front panel FrP, which is positioned and set on the front edges of the floor panel FlP and the left and right side panels SP, SP.

In the above white body assembling work step, the assembling order of each body panel is not limited to the above order, and the assembling order can be freely changed within a range that does not hinder the assembling.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the white body having the truck bed is formed has been described, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to other automobiles such as passenger cars.

C. Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the floor panel of the automobile body, the front panel,
Plural body components such as left and right side panels are sequentially and intensively supplied on the set table of the welding station, positioned and set at the proper assembly position on the set table, and then the positioning jig on the welding station. According to the present invention, a plurality of body constituent parts on the set table are directly clamped at the set position to form a body assembly, and a welded portion of the body assembly is welded by an automatic welding machine on a welding station. Since the body is obtained, multiple body components can be concentrated and welded on the welding station. Therefore, the welding work can be performed efficiently and accurately while improving the positioning accuracy between the multiple body components. It can be carried out.

In addition, in particular, a plurality of component supply devices for intensively supplying a plurality of body components on the set table of the welding station directly position and set the body components at a predetermined assembly position on the same set plate. Up,
Welding work can be performed while directly holding the set positions of multiple body component parts that have been directly positioned and set by these component supply devices by multiple positioning jigs on the welding station. In addition to simplifying the movement of the system and positioning jig as much as possible, the structure of the parts transport system and the welding station has been simplified and downsized, and moreover, the positioning set for multiple body components can be made directly by the parts feeder ( That is, the accuracy control can be facilitated as much as it can be performed without using a jig unit as in the conventional device.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the welding apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of body parts constituting a white body,
2 is an overall side view of the welding apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an overall plan view thereof, FIG. 4 is a side view of a floor panel setting station, and FIG. 5 is a floor panel set along line VV in FIG. Rear view of the station, FIG. 6 is a side view of the welding station, FIG. 7 is a front view of the welding station along the line VII-VII of FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a front view of the side panel supply device, and FIG. Is a front view of the upper and lower positioning jigs, the white body and its supporting parts when the white body is completed, and FIG. 10 is a side view of the front panel supply device.
11 is a front view of the front panel feeding device taken along the line XI-XI in FIG. 10, FIG. 12 is a plan view of the back panel feeding device, FIG.
FIG. 13 is a side view of the back panel supply device taken along the line XIII in FIG. 12, FIG. 14 is a side view of the transaver transfer device showing a state immediately before the floor panel is transported to the welding station, and FIG. 15 is FIG. Plan view along the line XV, Fig. 16 is Fig. 14
Enlarged cross-sectional view of the transabber along line X VI-X VI, No. 17
The figure shows a side view of the transabber transfer device showing the state in which the front panel is transported to the welding station, and Fig. 18 shows a side view of the transabber device showing the state in which the front panel is transferred to the welding position by the transaber, Fig. 19 (1),
(2) and (3) are side views of the transaver transfer device showing one operating cycle of the transaver. Bo ... Body assembly, Co ₁ ... Overhead conveyor, F
lP …… Floor panel, FrP …… Front panel, Ju, Jd…
… Upper and lower positioning jigs as a positioning device, Ro ……
Automatic welding robot as an automatic welding machine, Sb …… Back panel feeder, Sf …… Front panel feeder, Sf ₁ , Sf
₂ …… First and second feeders, Sfl …… Floor panel feeder, Sr …… Roof panel feeder as component feeder, Ss …… Side panel feeder, ST ₂ …… Welding station, SP …… Side panel, 3 ... Trans-saver, 17 ... Transport hanger, 36 ... Set table, 63 ... Lifting body, 74 ... Engaging claw

Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Naoki Katsura 1-10-1 Shin-Sayama, Sayama City, Saitama Prefecture Within Honda Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masaru Ohara 5-13-16, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture (56) Reference References JP 61-12474 (JP, A) JP 62-155178 (JP, A) JP 60-52414 (JP, A)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A floor panel (FlP), a front panel (FrP), left and right side panels (SP, SP), etc., which constitute an automobile body (Bw), are set on a set table (36) of a welding station (ST ₂ ). A plurality of component supply devices (Sfl, Ss, Sb, Sf) for sequentially and intensively supplying a plurality of body components and directly positioning and setting the body components at a predetermined assembly position on the set table (36). , Sr); centrally provided in the welding station (ST ₂ ) and at a predetermined assembly position on the set table (36) by the plurality of component supply devices (Sfl, Ss, Sb, Sf, Sr). Direct Positioning A plurality of positioning jigs (Ju, Jd) that directly clamp the set body components to the set position to form a body assembly (Bo); concentrated on the welding station (ST ₂ ). The body assembly (Bo Wherein the more becomes that a plurality of automatic welder (Ro) constituting the automobile body (Bw) by welding the welding site, welding equipment of the automobile body. 2. The automobile body welding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the front panel (FrP)
For supplying the welding station to the welding station (S
f) from said welding station (ST ₂₎ and out capable front panel first supply device provided in front of (Sf _1), provided liftable Toransaba (3) for traversing the welding station (ST ₂₎ The front panel No. 2 which receives the front panel (FrP) from the front panel No. 1 supply device (Sf ₁ ) and supplies it to the welding station (ST ₂ ).
Welding device for automobile body consisting of supply device (Sf ₂ ).