JPH09108957A - Parts supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a parts supply device capable of having its recognition means efficiently recognizing postures of the parts and efficiently actuating a built-in robot. SOLUTION: After oscillating a parts hopper 10 stored with many built-in parts around a horizontal supporting shaft 22 and taking in parts into a storage recession 12 recessedly provided on the bottom of the parts hopper 10, parts in the storage reciession 12 are taken out by using a discharge means 30. Thus because the optimum quantity of parts can be taken out from the parts hopper 10 and supplied to a recognition table 51 of a recognition means 50, not only can it be prevented from the recognition means to become unable to recognize the postures of the parts by the parts overlapping on top of another but picking of parts by a built-in robot 80 can be efficiently carried out.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention recognizes the posture of a component to be supplied when the component is supplied to the robot, and transmits the recognized posture information of the component to the robot so that the robot can accurately detect the component. The present invention relates to a component supply device that enables picking.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, robots have been used to incorporate parts in manufacturing lines in various manufacturing plants. However, in order for robots to correctly incorporate parts, the robot must accurately position the parts. It is required to be able to hold with. Therefore, in the conventional apparatus for supplying the parts to the robot, the parts are supplied to the robot in a state of being stored in the magazine one by one. However, a large number of man-hours are required to store the components in the magazine one by one, which causes an increase in manufacturing cost.

Therefore, in recent years, a component supply device for supplying components to the robot has been developed so that the robot can grasp the components in an accurate posture without using a magazine. In such a component supply device, by recognizing the individual postures of a plurality of components supplied in different states using a posture recognition device, the robot can select a component that can be picked in an accurate posture. , That information is transmitted to the robot. The robot will then pick the part based on this information.

Such a component supply apparatus is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 6-170657, but this apparatus recognizes the recognition container for holding the components in a scattered state and the posture of the components in the recognition container. A visual recognition device, a robot that picks parts based on information from this visual recognition device, a part hopper that drops parts into the recognition container, and a part that is excessively supplied by displacing the recognition container and returned to the hopper. And a driving means for driving. Then, when there is a component in the recognition container that the visual recognition device can determine that it can be picked by the robot, the robot picks the component and immediately performs the assembling work. On the other hand, when the visual recognition device determines that there is no pickable component due to overlapping of components, the drive means shakes the recognition container to change the posture of the component in the recognition container. Further, when the visual recognition device determines that there are too many components in the recognition container, the components in the recognition container are returned to the component hopper.

Further, the component feeding device disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 6-190649 discloses a rotary drum type component hopper having an opening directed obliquely downward, and an intermediate container for receiving components dropped from the component hopper. , A recognition container that holds the parts transferred from the intermediate container in a scattered state, a visual recognition device that recognizes the posture of the parts in the recognition container, and a robot that picks the parts based on the information from the visual recognition device. I have it. A shutter is provided in the opening of the component hopper, and the outflow amount of the component is adjusted by adjusting the gap between the shutter and the inner wall of the component hopper. Further, when the visual recognition device determines that there are too many components in the recognition container, the components in the recognition container are returned to the component hopper.

[0006]

However, in the form of the component hopper used in the above-described both component supply devices, the amount of components supplied to the recognition container cannot be optimized. Therefore, when the number of parts supplied to the recognition container is too large, there is a problem that the parts overlap each other and the attitude recognition device cannot accurately recognize the attitude of the parts. On the other hand, on the contrary, when the number of parts supplied to the recognition container is too small, the number of parts determined to be pickable by the posture recognition device must be reduced.

Therefore, in a manufacturing line in which the tact (operating interval) at which the robot assembles the parts is fixed, the tact must be set according to the case where the number of parts that can be picked is small, and the manufacturing efficiency is high. There was a problem of lowering. In addition, even in a production line where the tact can be changed, if the number of parts that can be picked is reduced, the robot will be in a state of waiting for operation. It was

Therefore, the present invention solves the problems of the prior art as described above, and keeps the amount of parts supplied to the recognition area at an optimum level, so that the recognition means can efficiently recognize the posture of the parts. At the same time, it is an object of the present invention to provide a component supply device capable of efficiently operating an embedded robot.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above objects of the present invention are as follows.
Supplying means for supplying a plurality of built-in parts to the recognition area in a disjointed state, and recognizing the postures of the parts supplied to the recognition area, and capturing the parts in the recognition area to perform a predetermined assembling operation. In a component supply device comprising a recognition means for transmitting a recognition result to an assembling means for carrying out, the supply means is swingable with respect to a substantially horizontal axis, and a predetermined amount is provided at one end in the swing direction. A substantially box-shaped component hopper having a storage recess capable of storing the component, swinging means for swinging the component hopper, and discharge means for discharging the component stored in the storage recess. ,
It can be achieved by a component supply device, comprising: a transporting unit that transports the discharged component to the recognition area. Further, the component supply device may be configured such that the component hopper has a guide portion that guides the component into the storage recess when the storage hopper is swung so that the storage recess is on the lower side. In the component supply device, the storage volume of the storage recess can be freely changed by changing the mounting position of the discharging means to the component hopper. Further, the component supply device removes a component recognized by the recognition means as unfittable from the recognition area, and collects the removed component and temporarily stocks the component hopper. It is also possible to adopt a configuration including a collecting means for transferring the component to the component hopper in accordance with the swing timing of.

When the component hopper is swung by the swinging means and the storage recess is inclined so that the storage recess is on the lower side, a certain amount of the parts corresponding to the volume of the storage recess is stored in the many parts in the component hopper. It will enter the recess. Therefore, by discharging the component that has entered the storage recess to the outside of the component hopper by the discharging means, and by transporting the discharged component into the recognition area by using the transporting means,
The recognition means can supply a certain amount of parts in the recognition area. Further, the component hopper has a guide portion that guides the component into the storage recess when the storage recess is swung so that the storage recess is on the lower side, thereby guiding the insertion of the component into the storage recess. Can ensure the weighing function. Further, by making it possible to change the storage volume of the storage recess by changing the mounting position of the discharging means to the component hopper, the flexibility of the manufacturing line can be improved. Further, a removing means for removing from the recognition area a component recognized by the recognizing means as unfittable, and the removed component is collected and temporarily stocked at a swing timing of the component hopper. In addition, by including a recovery means that transfers the parts to the part hopper, it is possible to reliably recover the parts without performing an operation that interrupts the supply of the parts.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a component supply device according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Here, FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing an embodiment of a component supply device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the component supply device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part of a component hopper. 4 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the component hopper shown in FIG. 3, and FIGS. 5 to 8 are side views schematically explaining the operation of the component supply device shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the component supply apparatus 100 of the present embodiment has a component hopper 10, a swinging means 20 for swinging the component hopper 10, and a concave portion at the bottom of the component hopper 10. A discharging means 30 for discharging the component 5 stored in the storage recess 12 provided, a transporting means 40 for transporting the component 5 discharged from the component hopper 10 by this discharging means, and a transporting means 40 for transporting the component 5. Recognizing means 50 for recognizing the posture of the component 5 and this recognizing means 50
Removing means 60 for removing the component 5 from the device, and this removing means 6
And a recovery means 70 for recovering the component 5 removed by 0.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the component hopper 10 has a substantially box shape, and a bottom plate 11 has a component storage recess 12 at the right end portion in the figure. Further, the side wall 13 provided upright around the component storage recess 12 is formed in a tapered shape, and when the component hopper 10 is swung to tilt the component storage recess 12 downward. The component 5 is guided so as to enter the storage recess 12. As shown in FIG. 3, an opening / closing door 14 is provided in front of the storage recess 12 so that the component 5 stored in the storage recess 12 can be discharged to the outside. The opening / closing door 14 is swingably supported by a support shaft 15, and an opening / closing arm 16 is attached to one end of the support shaft 15. Then, the component hopper 10 is stored in the storage recess 1
The opening / closing arm 16 contacts the opening / closing stopper 17 and the opening / closing door 14 is gradually opened as the portion on the side opposite to 2 is inclined downward.

The swinging means 20 is used for the component hopper 10.
For swinging around the horizontal axis.
It is provided with a pair of columns 21 vertically erected, a horizontal support shaft 22 spanned between these columns 21, and a rotary actuator 23 for rotating the horizontal support shaft 22.
The support shaft 22 is fixed to the lower portion of the component hopper 10, so that the component hopper 10 is inclined by the operation of the rotary actuator 23 to the left as shown by the solid line in FIG. As shown by the chain line, it can swing between a state of being inclined to the right side in the drawing.

The discharging means 30 is for discharging the components accommodated in the component accommodating recess 12 of the component hopper 10 to the outside of the component hopper 10, and is in communication with the component accommodating recess 12 of the component hopper 10. Storage groove 3 provided at the bottom
1 is housed. As shown in FIG. 3, a slider 33 is provided on the guide rail 32 provided in the storage groove 31.
Are slidably fitted. The slider 33 is adapted to be reciprocally moved by an air cylinder 34, and a connector 3 for connecting the slider 33 and the air cylinder 34 to each other.
By adjusting 5, the range in which the slider 33 reciprocates can be adjusted. The slider 33 has a top plate 3 that projects into the storage recess 12 and closes the storage recess 12.
7 is fixed. The top plate 37 has a push plate 38 at the tip thereof which comes into contact with the components housed in the housing recess 12.
Is attached. The volume of the storage recess 12 can be changed by adjusting the position where the top plate 37 is screwed onto the slider 33.
As shown in FIG. 4, the top plate 37 and the push plate 38 are
The width of the spacer 3 is reduced and the spacer 3
By attaching 9, the volume of the storage recess 12 can be reduced.

The carrying means 40 is provided for carrying the component 5 discharged from the discharging means 30 from the storage recess 12 of the component hopper 10 to the recognizing means 50. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the carrying means 40 slides on a guide rail 2 mounted on a floor surface 1 and can reciprocate in the left-right direction in the drawing, and a support column 41. An elevating part 42 attached to the column 41 so as to be able to ascend and descend, a support arm 43 extending horizontally from the elevating part 42, a storage part 44 attached to the tip of the support arm 43, and this storage part. An air cylinder 45 attached to the support arm 43 that opens and closes an opening / closing door (not shown) provided in the lower portion of 44. As a result, the storage portion 44 can reciprocate between a position facing the storage recess 12 of the component hopper 10 and a position above the recognition means 50.

The recognition means 50 is provided with a recognition table 51 formed of a light-transmissive material on which the parts 5 transported by the transport means 40 are placed in a scattered state, and below the recognition table 51. Provided lighting device 52
And an imaging device 53 that captures an image of the component 5 on the recognition table 51, the posture of the component 5 captured as a silhouette by the imaging device 53, and the built-in robot 80 that incorporates information about the component 5 that can be captured. And a control means (not shown). Note that the illumination device 52 is similar to the imaging device 53 in the recognition table 51.
It is also good to make it on top of.

The removing means 60 is for removing from the recognition table 51 the component 5 recognized by the recognition means 50 as being uncapturable by the robot 80, and a pair of parallel parts provided on the recognition table 51. A pusher 61 that reciprocates along the guide rail 62, and a rotary actuator 63 and a drive arm 64 that reciprocate the pusher 61. As a result, the component 5 on the recognition table 51 is displaced leftward in the drawing by the pusher 61 and discharged toward the collecting means 70.

The collecting means 70 is provided at the end of the recognition table 51 on the side facing the component hopper 10.
A storage unit 71 for stocking the components 5, an opening / closing door 73 for dropping the components 5 temporarily stocked in the storage unit 71 into the component hopper 10, and a rotary actuator 72 for opening / closing the opening / closing door 73. I have it. The rotary actuator 72 is used in the component hopper 1
It is designed to operate in synchronization with the operation timing of 0.

Next, the operation of the component supplying apparatus 100 of this embodiment having the above-mentioned structure will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the component hopper 10 accommodating a large number of components 5 is swung using the swinging means 20,
As shown in FIG. 5, the storage recess 12 provided in the component hopper 10 is tilted so as to face downward. Then, the large number of components 5 in the component hopper 10 move to the storage recess 12 side, and are guided by the tapered side wall 13 of the component hopper 10 to enter the storage recess 12. At this time, the amount of the component 5 that enters the storage recess 12 is an amount commensurate with the volume of the storage recess 12.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the component hopper 10
When the component hopper 10 is tilted so that the storage recess 12 is on the upper side by using the swinging means 20, the component hopper 10 remains in the storage recess 12. Therefore, when the push plate 38 is displaced by extending the air cylinder 34 of the discharging means 30 to discharge the component 5 remaining in the storage recess 12 to the outside of the component hopper 10, only a predetermined amount of the component 5 is discharged. It can be taken out of the hopper 10. On the other hand, the component 5 discharged from the component hopper 10 is transferred into the component storage portion 44 of the transporting means 40, as shown in FIG.

The conveying means 40 on which the parts 5 have been transferred displaces the support columns 41 on the guide rails 2 and raises the elevating part 42 to move the parts accommodating portion 44 onto the recognition table 51 of the recognition means 50. Position it. Next, when the air cylinder 45 is shortened to open the shutter (not shown) provided in the lower portion of the component storage unit 44, the component 5 in the component storage unit 44 is dropped as shown in FIG. Scattered up.

The parts 5 held in a scattered state on the recognition table 51 are illuminated by a lighting device 52 provided below the recognition table 51. Thereby, the imaging device 53 of the recognition means 50 visually recognizes the component 5 as a silhouette. Then, the embedded robot 8 is controlled by a control device (not shown) provided in the recognition means 50.
As shown in FIG. 7, the part determined to be pickable by 0 is picked by the hand portion 81 of the built-in robot 80 and the assembling operation is performed.

The parts 5 on the recognition table 51, which are judged by the recognition means 50 to be unpickable, are removed from the recognition table 51 by the removal means 60, as shown in FIG. That is, when the drive arm 64 is swung by the rotation of the rotary actuator 63 of the removing means 60, the pusher 6 provided on the recognition table 51.
1 is displaced to the left in the drawing, and the component 5 on the recognition table 51 is dropped into the pocket portion 71 of the collecting means 70.

The collecting means 70 temporarily stocks the parts 5 removed from the recognition table 51 and, as shown in FIG. 5, actuates the rotary actuator 72 of the parts hopper 10 in synchronization with the swing timing of the parts hopper 10. To open the opening / closing door 73. As a result, the components 5 stocked in the pocket 71 are returned to the component hopper 10 as shown in FIG.

That is, the component supply apparatus 10 of this embodiment
According to 0, it is possible to constantly and consistently supply the recognition table 51 with the amount of the component 5 most suitable for the recognition unit 50 to recognize the posture. Therefore, a large amount of the components 5 are supplied to the recognition table 51 and the components 5 overlap each other, and the recognition unit 50 cannot recognize the posture of the components 5, or the components 5 supplied to the recognition table 51.
Is too small, picking by the built-in robot 80 ends promptly, and the problem that the prior art has, such as a long waiting time of the built-in robot 80, can be prevented.

Further, in the component supplying apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the series of operations described above are continuously performed in parallel, so that the embedded robot 80 is provided. The parts 5 can be efficiently and smoothly supplied to the parts. Therefore, the built-in robot 80 operates efficiently, and the work of assembling the parts can be performed efficiently.

When the size or shape of the component 5 to be incorporated is changed, the volume of the storage recess 12 provided in the component hopper 10 is changed. At this time, in the component supply device 100 of the present embodiment, the size of the width plate 37 of the discharging means 30 is changed and the storage recess 1 is formed.
It is possible to easily change the volume of the storage recess 12 by providing the spacer 39 in the space 2 or changing the operation stroke of the push plate 38 by adjusting the connector 35.

It is needless to say that the component supply device of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made based on the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the storage recess 12 provided in the component hopper 10 is the component hopper 10.
Although it is provided below the bottom plate 11 of the component hopper 10, it is not necessary to be caught by the bottom plate 11, and when the component hopper 10 is swung and tilted in one direction, the component 5 in the component hopper 10 is
If it is a position capable of receiving the above, the storage recess may be provided in the side wall 13 of the component hopper 10.

[0030]

As described above, since the component supply apparatus of the present invention is configured as described above, the recognition means is the most suitable amount of the component or the built-in robot for recognizing the posture of the component. It is possible to always supply a constant amount of parts in the recognition area so that the picking can be performed most efficiently. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a large amount of components from being supplied into the recognition area and the components to overlap with each other, and the recognition unit from being unable to recognize the posture of the components. Further, it is possible to eliminate useless work such as returning the components within the recognition area to the component hopper. On the contrary, it is possible to prevent the amount of parts supplied in the recognition area from being too small and the picking by the embedded robot to be ended prematurely and the waiting time of the embedded robot to be prolonged. Therefore, according to the component supply device of the present invention, by keeping the amount of the component supplied to the recognition area to be optimum, the recognition means can efficiently recognize the posture of the component, and the embedded robot can be operated efficiently. It is possible to provide a component supply device capable of performing the above.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing an embodiment of a component supply device according to the present invention.

2 is a plan view of the component supply device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of a component hopper.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the component hopper shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a side view schematically explaining the operation of the component supply device shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a side view schematically explaining the operation of the component supply device shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a side view schematically explaining the operation of the component supply device shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a side view schematically explaining the operation of the component supply device shown in FIG.

[Explanation of reference numerals] 1 Floor surface 2 Guide rail 3 Stopper 10 Parts hopper 11 Bottom plate 12 Storage recess 13 Side wall 14 Opening door 15 Spindle 16 Opening arm 17 Opening stopper 20 Swinging means 21 Strut 22 Horizontal axis 23 Rotary actuator 30 Discharging means 31 Storage Groove 32 Guide Rail 33 Slider 34 Air Cylinder 35 Connector 36 Spring 37 Width Board 38 Push Plate 39 Spacer 40 Conveying Means 41 Strut 42 Elevating Part 43 Support Arm 44 Component Storage 45 Air Cylinder 50 Identification Means 51 Recognition Table 52 Lighting Device 53 image pickup device 60 removing means 61 pusher 62 guide rail 63 rotary actuator 64 drive arm 70 collecting means 71 pocket part 72 rotary actuator 73 open / close door 80 built-in robot 81 hand part 1 0 component supply device

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] December 15, 1995

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0010

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

When the component hopper is swung by the swinging means and the storage recess is inclined so that the storage recess is on the lower side, a certain amount of the parts corresponding to the volume of the storage recess is stored in the many parts in the component hopper. It will enter the recess. Therefore, by discharging the component that has entered the storage recess to the outside of the component hopper by the discharging means, and by transporting the discharged component into the recognition area by using the transporting means,
The recognition means can supply a certain amount of parts in the recognition area. Further, the component hopper has a guide portion that guides the component into the storage recess when the storage recess is swung so that the component recess is guided to the storage recess. Can ensure the weighing function. In addition, the storage volume of the storage recess is made variable by changing the mounting position of the discharging means to the component hopper, so that the number of supply components can be controlled.
It can be trolled and the flexibility of the production line can be improved. Furthermore, a removing unit that removes a component recognized by the recognizing unit as unincorporable from the recognition area, and the removed component is collected and temporarily stocked at a swing timing of the component hopper. In addition, by including a recovery means that transfers the parts to the part hopper, it is possible to efficiently recover the parts without performing an operation that interrupts the supply of the parts.

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0029

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

It is needless to say that the component supply device of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made based on the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the storage recess 12 provided in the component hopper 10 is the component hopper 10.
Although it is provided below the bottom plate 11 of the component hopper 10, it is not necessary to be caught by the bottom plate 11, and when the component hopper 10 is swung and tilted in one direction, the component 5 in the component hopper 10 is
If it is a position capable of receiving the above, the storage recess may be provided in the side wall 13 of the component hopper 10. In addition, the removing means 60 from the recognition table 51 is also pushed.
By installing an air blower on the charger 61 side,
The parts 5 can be discharged to the collecting means 70 without using the charger 61.
Can also be.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A supply means for supplying a plurality of built-in parts to a recognition area in a disjointed state, and a posture of the part supplied to the recognition area, and capturing the parts in the recognition area. In the component supply device, which comprises an assembling means for performing a predetermined assembling operation and a recognizing means for transmitting a recognition result, the supplying means is swingable with respect to a substantially horizontal axis, and one of the swinging directions is provided. A box-shaped component hopper having a storage recess for storing a predetermined amount of the component at its end, swinging means for swinging the component hopper, and the component stored in the storage recess A component supply device, comprising: a discharging unit configured to discharge the discharged component; and a transporting unit configured to transport the discharged component to the recognition area. 2. The component hopper has a guide portion for guiding the component into the storage recess when the storage recess is swung so that the storage recess is on the lower side. Parts feeder. 3. A removing means for removing from the recognition area a component recognized by the recognizing means as unfittable, and the removed component is collected and temporarily stocked to shake the component hopper. 3. The component supply device according to claim 1, further comprising: a recovery unit that transfers the component to the component hopper in accordance with the movement timing.