JPH08197470A - Vacuum suction cup - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a vacuum suction cup that can suck the flat face with an axial hole formed. CONSTITUTION: A suction means mounted to the attachment 8 of a device for performing the aerial transfer of articles suction-holds an object 12 to be held by making pressure in a negative pressure chamber, formed by the contact with the object 12, negative. This suction means has a cup 2 opened toward the suction end face, and an elastic body 3 kept in the cup 2. The cup 2 and the elastic body 3 form a space 40 for forming a negative pressure chamber for regulating air pressure.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vacuum suction cup provided on an attachment of a transfer device for transferring an article to the air, and more particularly to a suction cup capable of sucking and holding an article having a hole. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An aerial transfer device is used for lifting and moving an object when transferring the object from a predetermined position to a predetermined position in a factory or the like. For example, when automating the press line in the manufacturing process of press parts,
An air transfer device is used to transport from one process to the next. In this air transfer device, an article is lifted and transferred when a predetermined transfer is performed. As a method of lifting, there is a method in which an object is adsorbed and lifted by a pressure difference of air. The vacuum suction cup is used at that time. Therefore, a conventional vacuum suction cup will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a robot arm equipped with a conventional vacuum suction cup, and FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional vacuum suction cup. Vacuum suction cup 51
Has a truncated cone shape, and a negative pressure space 52 for adjusting the pressure of air with the panel 59 is provided therein. The vacuum suction cup 51 is formed so that the wall thickness becomes thinner toward the suction end face 60 as shown in the figure.
Further, the cup holder 5 is attached to the shaft core of the vacuum suction cup 51
3 is fitted. A vent hole 61 is communicated with the shaft core of the cup holder 53, and is screwed to the inner surface of the mounting portion 55 at the upper end. Therefore, the vacuum suction cup 51 is fixed to the attachment portion 55 of the attachment 54 of the robot arm 57 with the thick side having a small diameter facing upward. The robot arm 57 is provided with a plurality of attachments 54 for balancing during transfer, and a vacuum suction cup 51 is attached to each of them. At this time, the vacuum suction cup 51
The ventilation hole 61 is communicated with the air tube 58 through a communication hole 56 formed in the attachment portion 55 and the attachment 54.

The vacuum suction cup 51 having such a structure operates as follows. As shown in FIG. 9, the panel 59 to be transferred is sucked by the vacuum suction cup 51 at the tip of the attachment 54. That is, the robot arm 57
The plurality of vacuum suction cups 51 fixed to the tip of the attachment 54 by the driving of the above are brought into contact with predetermined positions with respect to the panel 59, respectively. When the vacuum suction cup 51 is brought into contact with the panel 59, the negative pressure space 52 is sealed between them. Therefore, the negative pressure space 5 in the vacuum suction cup 51 is passed through the air tube 58 by an air pump (not shown).
2 air is sucked out. Then, the vacuum suction cup 51 sucks due to the decrease in air pressure, and the panel 59 is lifted and transferred.

[0005]

However, the above-mentioned conventional vacuum suction cup 51 has the following problems. That is, the object to be transferred may be flat as shown in FIG. 10, but it is very difficult to determine the suction position when the object has a small number of flat parts such as an inner panel of an automobile door. . This is because, when the object is lifted by using the vacuum suction cup 51, the balance becomes important by using a plurality of objects. Therefore, in order to lift such a thing, the vacuum suction cup 51 is inevitably small because suction must be performed in a small area. On the other hand, since the suction force is proportional to the volume of the negative pressure space 52, a plurality of vacuum suction cups 51 are needed. Therefore, the number of attachments 54 inevitably increases in the robot arm 57, which is not preferable. Further, since the load on the robot arm 57 is increased, the structure is strengthened and the life is shortened, which causes a cost increase.

By the way, it is considered that an inner panel having a complicated surface shape has a plurality of shaft holes for attaching itself to other members. In addition, the shaft hole is attached by a screw at the location at the time of mounting, but since the location has unevenness or is curved, proper screwing cannot be performed, so it is usually a flat surface. is there. Furthermore, the location where such a shaft hole is formed is provided at a well-balanced position in consideration of the mounting of the inner panel. Therefore, it is preferable to use a flat surface having such a shaft hole, but from the structure and operation of the conventional vacuum suction cup 51 described above, suction is performed using the position where the shaft hole is formed. It is obvious that is impossible.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum suction cup capable of suctioning on a flat surface having a shaft hole or the like formed therein.

[0008]

A vacuum suction cup of the present invention is a suction means mounted on an attachment of an apparatus for transferring articles in the air, and a negative pressure formed by abutting against an object to be held. A vacuum suction cup for holding an object to be held by making the pressure in the chamber negative,
A space for forming a negative pressure chamber for adjusting the air pressure is provided by a space between the cup and the elastic body, the space having a cup expanding toward the suction end surface and an elastic body provided in the cup. To form. Further, in the vacuum suction cup of the present invention, it is preferable that the elastic body is a cup that expands toward a suction end surface similar to the cup, a cup formed by a bellows, or a cylindrical cup.

[0009]

The vacuum suction cup of the present invention is provided at the attachment of the air transfer device, and is placed at a predetermined position by its drive. After the vacuum suction cup comes into contact with the holding object, the cup and the holding object are separated from each other. The negative pressure in the space for forming the negative pressure chamber between the two holds the object to be held by suction, and the negative pressure chamber is held by the cup by the elastic body provided in the cup. Of the space between the object and the space occupied by the elastic body, it is composed of space, so even if there is a hole in the suction surface of the holding object, the elastic body that is engaged in the cup By closing the hole, the pressure of the negative pressure chamber constituted by the cup, the elastic body, and the object to be held is negatively pressured to be adsorbed. Further, in the vacuum suction cup of the present invention, the negative pressure chamber when abutting against the object to be held and the object to be held, and a cup of a similar shape that is engaged in the cup, a cup formed by bellows, Or, since it is configured with a cylindrical cup, even if there is a hole in the suction surface of the object to be held, each of the cups provided in the cup closes the hole, so that the pressure in the negative pressure chamber is negative. Allows pressure to adsorb.

[0010]

EXAMPLES Next, the first example of the vacuum suction cup of the present invention
Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2
Is a cross-sectional view showing a vacuum suction cup of the present embodiment,
FIG. 1 shows the non-adsorption state, and FIG. 2 shows the adsorption state. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the first cup constituting the vacuum suction cup of this embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the second cup thereof. Further, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a tightening bolt for integrally tightening the first cup and the second cup to the attachment. In the vacuum suction cup 1 of this embodiment, a first cup 2 and a second cup 3 provided in the first cup 2 are coaxially arranged. And the 1st cup 2 and the 2nd cup 3 are tightening bolts 6
The through holes 4 and 5 formed in the respective shaft cores are penetrated by and are integrally fixed. Further, the portion of the tightening bolt 6 that protrudes from the first cup 2 is fixed to the mounting hole 8 a of the attachment portion 8 of the attachment 7.

Next, each component constituting the vacuum suction cup 1 will be described. First, the first cup 2 constitutes the external shape of the vacuum suction cup 1, and has a truncated cone shape. Further, the first cup 2 is formed such that the skirt 11 extending from the small-diameter axial core portion to the outside of the opening gradually becomes thinner toward the suction end surface 14 at the tip. A cylindrical cup holder 13 made of metal and having a predetermined diameter is fitted to the side of the small diameter portion to form an insertion hole 4. Oil resistant rubber is used for the first cup 2 in consideration of the shape change of the suction end surface 14 due to the industrial oil used in the press. The first cup 2 has the same shape as the conventional one.

Next, the second cup 3 has a frustoconical skirt 21 made of oil-resistant rubber, like the first cup 2, and has a cylindrical cup holder made of metal on its small diameter side. 22 is fitted so as to protrude, and the insertion hole 5 is formed. The cup holder 22 has the same inner diameter and outer diameter as the cup holder 13 of the first cup 2. Also, this cup holder 2
The vent hole 23 is formed at two places in the second hole 2 and penetrates through the center of the side surface. By the way, the second cup 3 is inserted from the inside of the first cup 2 into the cup holder 22 as shown in FIG.
Are fitted so as to be coaxial with the cup holder 13. At this time, the vent hole 2 formed in the cup holder 22
3 is located in the space between the skirt 11 of the first cup 2 and the skirt 21 of the second cup 3. The space between the skirt 11 and the skirt 21 constitutes a negative pressure space 40 forming a negative pressure chamber 40a formed when the panel 12 is abutted.

Next, the tightening bolt 6 has an air intake hole 31 formed near the lower end in the axial center thereof, and two ventilation holes 32 are formed in the lower end portion so as to face each other. A flange 33 is provided at the lower end of the tightening bolt 6 to form a stopper, while the upper end of the screw 3 is screwed by a predetermined amount.
4 is cut. After the second cup 3 is coaxially overlapped with the first cup 2, the tightening bolt 6 penetrates the insertion hole 5 and the insertion hole 4 from the inside of the second cup 3, and the flange 33 causes the flange 33 to move. It is inserted until it contacts the lower end. At this time, the tightening bolt 6 is formed so that the screw 34 portion formed at the end thereof protrudes from the cup holder 13 of the first cup 2. Then, the protruding screw 34 is screwed to the mounting portion 8a of the mounting portion 8 as shown in FIG.

At this time, the second cup 3 and the tightening bolt 6
The ventilation hole 23 and the ventilation hole 32 formed in the above are communicated with each other, and the negative pressure space 40 sandwiched between the skirt 11 and the skirt 21 is communicated with the intake hole 31 of the tightening bolt 6. Therefore, the ventilation hole 9 of the attachment 7 which is communicated with the air tube (not shown) is communicated with the ventilation hole 32 and the ventilation hole 23 from the intake hole 31 which is opened in the mounting hole 8 a of the mounting portion 8. In addition, the negative pressure space 40, when the vacuum suction cup 1 contacts the plate 12 as shown in FIG.
The negative pressure space 40 is sealed by the skirt 11, the skirt 21, and the plate 12 to form a negative pressure chamber 40a.

The vacuum suction cup 1 having the above-described structure operates as follows. First, as in the conventional example, the vacuum suction cup 1 fixed to the tip of the attachment 7 is
Plate 12 transferred by a robot arm shown in the drawing
Is abutted at a predetermined position. Then, as described above, the skirt 11, the skirt 21, and the plate 12 constitute the negative pressure chamber 40a. Then, the air in the negative pressure chamber 40a is sucked by a vacuum pump (not shown). That is, the air in the negative pressure chamber 40 a is supplied to the vent hole 2 of the second cup 3.
3, through the ventilation hole 32 and the intake hole 31 of the tightening bolt 6, and further through the communication hole of the attachment 7. Therefore, since the pressure in the negative pressure chamber 40a becomes negative,
The skirt 11 of the first cup 2 and the skirt 21 of the second cup 3 are deformed so as to be pressed against the plate 12, and the vacuum suction cup 1 is brought into close contact with the plate 12. Then, the plate 12 is lifted and transferred by driving the robot arm. On the other hand, if the air flows in the negative pressure chamber 40a in reverse, the air pressure is increased and the adsorption is removed, so that the plate 12
Is released.

By the way, the suction force of the vacuum suction cup is determined by the volume in the cup. That is, in the vacuum suction cup 1 of the present embodiment, the suction force is determined by the volume of the negative pressure chamber 40a formed by the skirt 11 and the skirt 21. Therefore, the suction force based on the volume will be compared with the vacuum suction cup that has been used conventionally.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a table comparing the volumes of the vacuum suction cups. As the conventional example, two standard products of different sizes, which are generally commercially available, were used, one of which had a suction end face having a diameter equal to that of the first cup 2 and the other having a diameter equal to that of the second cup 3. As can be seen, the vacuum suction cup 1 of the present embodiment has a volume half that of the conventional example A having the same diameter as the first cup and twice the volume of the conventional example B having the same diameter as the second cup. Therefore, the suction force of the vacuum suction cup 1 is 1/2 of that of the conventional example A.
It can be seen that this is twice the value of Conventional Example B.

Therefore, according to the vacuum suction cup 1 of this embodiment described above, the mounting surface is small as in the conventional inner panel, and the screw hole portion is sandwiched between the above-mentioned conventional example B.
As described above, two small vacuum suction cups could be arranged into one. This makes it possible to reduce the weight of the entire robot arm by reducing the number of attachments for attaching the vacuum suction cup, and also to reduce the equipment cost. In addition, the conventional structure that requires two contact surfaces is provided at one position, and a hole may be formed at the center thereof, so that the degree of freedom of the target mounting surface is increased. This facilitates the design of the attachment even for a component such as an inner panel that has many holes. Furthermore, it has become possible to easily deal with changes in product shape such as the addition of holes.

Next, the vacuum suction cup according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the vacuum suction cup 41 of the second embodiment. The vacuum suction cup 41 of this embodiment has substantially the same shape as that of the first embodiment described above, and a different structure, that is, a characteristic structure is that the second cup disposed inside is bellows 42. It was formed by. Therefore, in this embodiment, the negative pressure space 43 is formed by the skirt 11 and the bellows 42. The suction of the plate is performed by the suction of the air in the negative pressure chamber formed by the negative pressure space 43 when the plate is brought into contact with the plate, as in the first embodiment. Since the skirt 11 is deformed by the pressure decrease and the entire vacuum suction cup 41 is pressed against the plate, the bellows 42 is contracted accordingly.

Next, a vacuum suction cup according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the vacuum suction cup 45 of the third embodiment (at the time of suction). The vacuum suction cup 45 of this embodiment is also the first
The second embodiment has substantially the same shape as that of the embodiment, and has a different configuration, that is, a characteristic configuration, from the second configuration disposed inside.
That is, the cup is formed by the cylinder 46 made of urethane having a relatively low hardness. Therefore, in this embodiment, the negative pressure space 47 is formed by the skirt 11 and the cylinder 46. Then, the suction of the plate is performed by the suction of the air in the negative pressure chamber formed by the negative pressure space 47 when the plate is brought into contact with the plate, as in the case of the first embodiment. Since the skirt 11 is deformed by the pressure decrease and the entire vacuum suction cup 45 is pressed against the plate, the cylinder 46 is compressed accordingly.

According to the constructions of the second and third embodiments, as in the first embodiment, the weight of the entire robot arm can be reduced by reducing the total number of vacuum suction cups, and the equipment cost can be reduced. In addition to the effect that the degree of freedom of the mounting surface is increased and the design can be easily changed, the volumes of the negative pressure spaces 43 and 47 can be made relatively large and a strong suction force can be obtained. be able to.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the negative pressure space 40
The vent hole 23 for the air sucked from (43, 47) into the intake hole 31 of the tightening bolt 6 is formed by penetrating the second cup 3, but the contact portion between the first cup 2 and the second cup 3 is formed. You may make it provide a ventilation groove. Although the second cup and the third cup are shown as modified examples in the second and third embodiments, for example, if the hole of the plate is closed and the airtightness of the negative pressure chamber can be maintained by the shape deformation at the time of suction, It may have another structure such as a spherical body made of an elastic body corresponding to the shape of.

[0022]

Since the vacuum suction cup of the present invention is provided with an elastic body inside the cup and has a negative pressure space between the cup and the elastic body, the vacuum suction cup has a flat surface on which a shaft hole is formed. An elastic body closes the shaft hole, and it is now possible to provide a vacuum suction cup capable of suctioning there. In addition, this reduces the number of attachments in the robot arm, reducing the load on the robot arm and extending the life of the robot arm.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a vacuum suction cup according to a first embodiment of the present invention when not suctioning.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the vacuum suction cup according to the first embodiment of the present invention during suction.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a first cup that constitutes the vacuum suction cup of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a second cup which constitutes the vacuum suction cup of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a tightening bolt that constitutes the vacuum suction cup of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a table comparing the volumes of vacuum suction cups.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a vacuum suction cup 41 of a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a vacuum suction cup 41 of a third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a robot arm including a conventional vacuum suction cup.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional vacuum suction cup.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Vacuum suction cup 2 1st cup 3 2nd cup 4,5 Insertion hole 6 Tightening bolt 7 Attachment 11,21 Skirt 13,22 Cup holder 14,24 Suction end face 23,32 Vent hole 40 Negative pressure part 40a Negative pressure chamber

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A suction means mounted on an attachment of an apparatus for transferring an article into the air, wherein a holding object is created by setting a negative pressure in a negative pressure chamber formed by contact with the holding object. The vacuum suction cup that holds and holds the suction cup has a cup that expands toward the suction end surface and an elastic body that is engaged in the cup, and the negative pressure that adjusts the air pressure by the space between the cup and the elastic body. A vacuum suction cup characterized by forming a space for forming a pressure chamber. 2. The vacuum suction cup according to claim 1, wherein the elastic body expands toward a suction end surface having a similar shape to the cup, a cup formed by a bellows,
Alternatively, the vacuum suction cup is a cylindrical cup.