JPH09136712A - Parts feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suitably transfer and discharge each part from a placing surface to a transfer surface by forming a transfer surface of an outer wheel such that its inside end is higher than its outside end in an axial direction. SOLUTION: Each part W moved to a top dead center in an orderly state is relived from the restriction of a restriction plane 12e of an outer wheel 12c and thus transferred to a transfer section 12p of a transfer surface 12d of an outer wheel 12c by the resultant force of gravity and centrifugal force produced by the rotation of an inner wheel 5, when the transfer section 12p is slanted down from an inside end to an outside end and gravity acts on each part W transferred to the transfer section 12p; therefore reaction force acted by the guide surface 18a of a guide member is reduced by gravity to prevent each part W from returning again to a placing surface 5a. And each part W is moved to a discharge opening of a discharge section of the transfer surface 12d and is discharged to a guide pipe. Since the discharge section is not slanted down from an outside end to an inside end, each part W transferred to the discharge section is not rolled down in receiving space.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention puts a large number of parts having an axial length larger than the outer diameter in an unaligned state so that the parts are aligned in the axial direction, and in this state, the parts are sequentially processed in the next step. It relates to a parts feeder (automatic parts feeder) for discharging.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a parts feeder is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-273415. In this parts feeder, as shown schematically in FIG.
Is rotatably provided around an inner shaft center O _I inclined with respect to the vertical direction O, and the outer ring 90 surrounds the outer peripheral side of the inner ring 80 and the outer shaft center O _O (provisionally aligned with the vertical direction O). It is installed so that it can rotate around. The upper end of the inner ring 80 is a flat mounting surface 80a orthogonal to the inner axis O _I. The upper end of the outer ring 90 is a flat transport surface 90a orthogonal to the outer axis O _O, and the inner circumference of the outer ring 90 is the outer axis O _O.
The restriction surface 90b has a conical shape with a downward constriction centered on the center line. Here, the mounting surface 80a of the inner ring 80 and the outer ring 90
With respect to the restriction surface 90b, a storage space S for storing a part W having a large axial length which is inserted in a non-aligned state and whose outer diameter is larger than the outer diameter is secured. Each part W put into the storage space S is axially moved on the mounting surface 80a by the frictional force, the own weight of each part W, and the centrifugal force F _I due to the rotation of the inner ring 80 around the inner axis O _I. They are aligned and then transferred to the transport surface 90a. Then, on the outer peripheral side of the outer ring 90, the transport surface 90a
A guide surface 70 that restricts each of the upper parts W from being discharged by the centrifugal force F _O due to the rotation of the outer ring 90 around the outer axis O _O.
The discharge opening (not shown) formed continuously on the guide surface 70 with the transport surface 90a is configured to sequentially discharge each part W from the transport surface 90a by the centrifugal force F _O generated by the rotation of the outer ring 90. There is.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional parts feeder, the transfer of each part W from the mounting surface 80a to the transfer surface 90a and the transfer of each part W from the transfer surface 90a through the discharge opening are performed. Discharge means inner ring 80 and outer ring 9
It has become clear that depending on the setting of the number of rotations of 0, it may be difficult to carry out the operation appropriately.

That is, in this parts feeder, the transfer from the placing surface 80a to the conveying surface 90a is performed only by the horizontal component force F _It of the centrifugal force F _I generated by the rotation of the inner ring 80. Here, if the rotation speed of the inner ring 80 is too small, each part W cannot even move to the top dead center side on the mounting surface 80a due to a small centrifugal force F _I. It will be set to a large size. However, if the rotation speed of the inner ring 80 is too large, the horizontal component force F _It is large, so that each part W repels the guide surface 70 and returns to the mounting surface 80a again.

In this respect, if the number of rotations of the outer ring 90 is increased, a large centrifugal force F _O due to the rotation of the outer ring 90 can be applied to each part W on the transport surface 90a. It is considered that it is possible to prevent the parts W from returning to the mounting surface 80a again by reducing them by _O. However, if the number of rotations of the outer ring 90 increases, the part W is not ejected from the ejection opening and the conveyance surface 90a
There is a problem that you will remain on top.

Further, as schematically shown in FIG.
The outer axis O _O inclined with respect to the vertical direction O of 0, thereby downhill toward the outer end from the inner end of the shift section 90c each part W is transferred riding from among the placement surface 80a of the conveying surface 90a Then, since the gravity G further acts on each part W that has transferred onto the transfer portion 90c, the repulsive force is further reduced by this gravity G and each part W is prevented from returning to the mounting surface 80a again. It is considered possible. In FIG. 9, the inner ring 80 and the guide surface 70 together with the outer ring 90 are inclined in the same plane. However, in this parts feeder, the transport surface 90 of the outer ring 90 is
Since a is a flat surface orthogonal to the outer axis O _O , if the outer ring 90 is inclined, not only the transfer portion 90c but also
The entire transport surface 90a is inclined. In this case, a portion of the transport surface 90a other than the transfer portion 90c, for example, a symmetric portion 90d symmetrical to the transfer portion 90c, also descends from the outer end to the inner end. For this reason, each part W that has been transported onto another portion easily falls down into the storage space S, and if the discharge opening of the guide surface 70 is provided in another portion, it is transported to the other portion while being aligned. Each part W cannot be discharged.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and transfers each part from the mounting surface to the transfer surface and discharges each part from the transfer surface through the discharge opening. It is an object of the present invention to provide a parts feeder capable of suitably performing.

[0008]

A parts feeder according to claim 1 has a mounting surface at an upper end thereof, and an inner ring rotatably provided around an inner shaft center inclined with respect to the vertical direction, and a conveying surface at an upper end. And an outer ring that has a restricting surface on the inner periphery and that is rotatably provided around the outer axis while surrounding the outer peripheral side of the inner ring,
A guide surface that surrounds the outer peripheral side of the outer ring and has a discharge opening that is continuous with the transport surface, and the mounting surface and the restriction surface have an axial length of a large number that is inserted in a non-aligned state. An accommodating space for accommodating larger parts is secured, and the mounting surface axially moves each part accommodated in the accommodating space by frictional force of each part, gravity and centrifugal force due to rotation of the inner ring. And then transfer to the conveying surface, the guide surface regulates each of the parts on the conveying surface from the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the outer ring, and the discharge opening is caused by the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the outer ring. In the parts feeder that sequentially discharges each of the parts, the conveyance surface of the outer ring has an inner end higher than an outer end in the outer axial direction.

In the parts feeder of claim 1, since the inner end has the conveying surface which is higher in the direction of the outer axis than the outer end, the transfer portion of the conveying surface can be made to be a downward slope from the inner end to the outer end. it can. For this reason, gravity acts on each part transferred on the transfer portion, so that the repulsive force with respect to the guide surface can be reduced by this gravity, and each part can be prevented from returning to the mounting surface again. .

Further, in this parts feeder, since the inner end has a conveyance surface which is higher in the direction of the outer axis than the outer end, even if the transfer portion of the conveyance surface is downhill from the inner end to the outer end, It is possible to prevent a portion other than the transfer portion of the transfer surface from going downhill from the outer end to the inner end. For this reason, it is possible to prevent each part conveyed on the other part from falling into the storage space.

Therefore, in the parts feeder according to the first aspect of the present invention, the rotational speeds of the inner ring and the outer ring can be set more easily than before, and the transfer of each part from the mounting surface to the transfer surface can be performed.
It is possible to preferably perform the discharge of each part from the transport surface through the discharge opening.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment in which the parts feeder of claim 1 is embodied will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this parts feeder, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the frame 1 is placed on a horizontal plane L, and the inner bracket 1a of the frame 1 erected in the vertical direction O has an inner ring drive motor 2 and a gear mechanism. An inner ring 5 is rotatably provided around an inner shaft center O _I inclined by θ _I ° with respect to the vertical direction O via 3 and a bearing 4. The upper end of the inner ring 5 is, as shown in FIG. 4A, a horizontal plane L ′ (parallel to the horizontal plane L. The same applies hereinafter).
The mounting surface 5a has a conical shape inclined by a ° with respect to. Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, the top dead center of the mounting surface 5a is downhill by (a + θ _I ) ° with respect to the horizontal plane L ′.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, an inclined table 6 is provided on each of four legs 1b having different lengths, which are vertically installed at four corners in the vertical direction O, via outer brackets 1c. It is fixed. As shown in FIG. 2, an outer wheel drive motor 8 incorporating a gear mechanism is fixed to the lower surface of the tilt table 6 via a mounting bracket 7, and an outer wheel base 9 is fixed to the upper surface of the tilt table 6. . The outer ring base 9 is rotatably provided with an internal gear 11 that meshes with an external gear 8a of the outer ring drive motor 8 via a bearing 10. An outer ring 12 is fixed to the upper surface of the internal gear 11. The outer ring 12 is an internal gear 11
An annular bottom plate 12a fixed to the bottom plate 12a, a plurality of legs 12b erected from the bottom plate 12a, and a cylindrical outer ring main body 12c that is connected to each leg 12b and surrounds the outer peripheral side of the inner ring 5. In this embodiment, the bottom plate 12a has legs 12b.
Although the outer ring main body 12c is fixed via the
The outer ring body 12c may be directly fixed to the bottom plate 12a. In this way, the outer ring 12 has an outer axis O _O that is inclined by θ _O ° in the same plane as the inner axis O _I with respect to the vertical direction O because the tilting table 6 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane L. It is provided so that it can rotate around. The outer axis O _O may be aligned with the vertical direction O. Then, as shown in FIG. 4B, the upper end of the outer ring main body 12c is inclined by b ° with respect to the horizontal plane L ′, so that the inner end has a conical shape higher in the outer axial center O _O direction than the outer end. It is the transport surface 12d. As shown in FIG. 5, the portion of the transport surface 12d facing the top dead center of the inner ring 5, that is, the bottom dead center of the transport surface 12d is the transfer portion 12p on which the parts W are transferred from the mounting surface 5a. . In this way, the transfer portion 12p is placed on the mounting surface 5a.
In parallel to the top dead center of, and is with respect to the horizontal plane L 'from the inner end toward an outer end (b + θ _O) ° only downhill.
The inner circumference of the outer ring body 12c is a cylindrical restriction surface 12e parallel to the outer axis O _O. Here, the mounting surface 5a of the inner ring 5 and the regulation surface 12e of the outer ring body 12c secure a storage space S for storing each part W, as shown in FIG. Above the storage space S, one end of a conveyor C for sequentially loading each part W is provided.

Further, the bottom plate 12a of the outer ring 12 is fixed to the bottom portion of the cover 13 having an upper confined isolation surface 13a,
A rubber scraper 14 is fixed to the leg 12b of the outer ring 12 via a rod extending below the outer axis O _O and in slidable contact with the inclined table 6 outside the outer ring table 9. Further, an appropriate number of through holes 6a are provided in the inclined table 6 outside the outer ring base 9, and an appropriate number of recovery boxes 15 communicating with the respective through holes 6a are fixed below the outer ring base 9. ing.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, on the upper surface of the inclined table 6, an outer axis O _O is provided outside the scraper 14.
Substantially cylindrical housings 16a and 16b are fixed in parallel with each other, and between the housings 16a and 16b, a substantially annular guide member 18 that surrounds the outer peripheral side of the outer ring main body 12c is formed by the flanges 17a and 17b of the housings 16a and 16b. It is pinched. The inner circumference of the guide member 18 is a downwardly constricted guide surface 18a having the outer axis O _O as the center line. In this embodiment, the guide member 18 is sandwiched between the housings 16a and 16b.
16b may be integrally formed and its inner circumference may be used as a guide surface.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, an opening 16c is formed through the housings 16a and 16b, and the guide member 18 is cut in the opening 16c to form a discharge opening 18b continuous with the transport surface 12d. doing. A portion of the transport surface 12d that is continuous with the discharge opening 18b is a discharge portion 12r, and as shown in FIG. 7, the discharge portion 12r is (b−x) ° with respect to the horizontal plane L ′ from the inner end to the outer end. It is only downhill. Here, x is calculated by θ _I , θ _O, and the angle formed by the discharge opening 18b with the plane formed by the inner axis O _I and the outer axis O _O. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, one end 18c of the guide member 18 on the front side in the rotation direction of the outer ring 12 extends in the tangential direction, and a guide member substantially parallel to the one end 18c near the other end 18b of the guide member 18. 19 is fixed to the flange 17b. A guide tube 21 extends downward between the one end 18c and the guide member 19.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, at the top dead center of the housing 16b, the baffle plate 20 projects inward from the conveying surface 12d to a position higher than the outer diameter of the part W and lower than the axial length. It is set up. At the inner end of the baffle plate 20, a tapered surface 20a is formed which is higher on the front side in the rotation direction of the outer ring 12 and lower on the rear side. The transport surface 1 below the baffle plate 20
As shown in FIG. 6, a symmetric portion 12q of 2d, which is a symmetric position of the transfer portion 12p, is downwardly sloped by (b−θ _O ) ° from the inner end to the outer end with respect to the horizontal plane L ′. It is also possible to level the symmetric part 12q by setting the theta _O.

In the parts feeder configured as described above
The cylindrical part W with an axial length larger than the outer diameter,
A large number of bare C are thrown in unaligned state. Then, Figure 2
And as shown in FIG. 3, each lying part W has friction
Force, gravity, and inner ring center O of the inner ring 5 _ICentrifugal force due to rotation
The mounting surface 5a of the inner ring 5 is rolled to the bottom dead center side by the resultant force.
And is stored in the storage space S. At this time, the mounting surface 5a
Since each part has a conical shape, each part W is not on the bottom dead center side.
Inner axis O_ITo roll in the radial direction. Therefore, the axial direction
The parts W are aligned so that the direction is the circumferential direction of the mounting surface 5a.
I do.

Then, each of the aligned parts W is the outer ring 1
It is regulated by the regulation surface 12e of 2c, and is moved to the top dead center of the mounting surface 5a without slipping to the bottom dead center side due to the combined force of the frictional force and the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the inner ring 5 despite the gravity. . Since the parts W that have moved to the top dead center in the aligned state are released from the restriction by the restriction surface 12e of the outer ring 12c, as shown in FIG.
The resultant force of the _I, transferred ride shift section 12p of the conveying surface 12d of the outer ring 12c. At this time, in this parts feeder, Noriutsuri is from the inner end portion 12p with respect to the horizontal plane L 'toward the outer end (b + θ _O) ° only downhill, gravity G to each part W that possessed on the shift section 12p Since the force acts, the repulsive force of the guide member 18 with respect to the guide surface 18a is reduced by this gravity G to prevent each part W from returning to the mounting surface 5a again.

Each part W transferred to the transfer surface 12d is
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the guide surface 18 of the guide member 18
Regardless of the gravity, the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the outer ring 12 and gravity does not slip due to the combined force of the frictional force and the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the outer ring 12 around the outer axis O _O , despite the gravity. It is moved to the top dead center of the transport surface 12d in an aligned state without rolling to the mounting surface 5a side due to the resultant force.

Here, after being loaded from the conveyor C, it is repelled on the mounting surface 5a, and the transfer portion 12 of the transport surface 12d.
As shown in FIG. 6, the parts W standing or stacked on the symmetrical portion 12q at the symmetrical position of p interfere with the tapered surface 20a of the baffle plate 20 and are returned to the storage space S. On the other hand, the symmetrical portion 12 of the transport surface 12d that is aligned
Each part W moved to q does not interfere with the tapered surface 20a of the baffle plate 20 as shown in FIG. At this time, in this parts feeder, the transfer portion 1 of the transport surface 12d
Even if 2p is downhill from the inner end to the outer end, the symmetrical portion 12q of the transport surface 12d is not downhill from the outer end to the inner end. Therefore, the parts W transported onto the symmetrical portion 12q do not fall into the storage space S. Thus, in this parts feeder, the theta _O configuration, for while returning each part W where or or stacked standing or transport surface 12d in the housing space S, does not return the parts W aligned in the storage space S, the required Both alignment and prevention of wasteful transportation are achieved.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, each part W has a guide surface 18 at the discharge portion 12r of the conveying surface 12d.
When reaching the discharge opening 18b of a, one end 18 of the guide member 18 is generated by the resultant force of gravity G and the centrifugal force F _O generated by the rotation of the outer ring 12.
It is discharged in a tangential direction from between c and the guide member 19 and is sequentially discharged into the guide tube 21. At this time, in this parts feeder, even if the transfer portion 12p of the transfer surface 12d is downhill from the inner end to the outer end, the discharge portion 12r of the transfer surface 12d is not downhill from the outer end to the inner end. Therefore, each part W transported on the discharge portion 12r does not fall into the storage space S.

Therefore, in this parts feeder, the rotational speeds of the inner ring 5 and the outer ring 12 can be set more easily than before, while transferring each part W from the mounting surface 5a to the transfer surface 12d and the transfer surface 12d. It is possible to suitably discharge each part W through the discharge opening 18b. For this reason, if the parts are supplied to the next process by this parts feeder, the parts W can be sequentially and stably supplied at a timing suitable for the cycle of the next process.

Further, in this parts feeder, the foreign matter falling from the gap between the inner ring 5 and the outer ring body 12c is protected by the cover 1
It is dropped onto the inclined table 6 outside the outer ring base 9 by the separating surface 13a of 3, and is scraped into the through hole 6a by the scraper 14 rotating with the outer ring 12 there and collected in the collection box 15. Therefore, the bearings 4 and 10 are not damaged by foreign matter.

Further, in this parts feeder, the inner ring 5
Is thick with the conical placement surface 5a, the noise when the parts W are loaded from the conveyor C is low, and the working environment can be improved. The same applies when the inner ring is formed of a truncated cone. In the embodiment, the conveying surface 12d of the outer ring main body 12c has a conical shape, and the inner end is formed higher than the outer end in the direction of the outer axis O _O , but it may have an arc shape.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a parts feeder according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the parts feeder of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 relates to the parts feeder of the embodiment and is II of FIG.
It is I-III arrow sectional drawing.

4A is a partially enlarged side view of an inner ring, and FIG. 4B is a partially enlarged sectional view of an outer ring according to the parts feeder of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the inner ring and a cross-sectional view of the outer ring in the transfer portion according to the parts feeder of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an outer ring and the like at a symmetrical portion according to the parts feeder of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an outer ring at a discharging portion according to the parts feeder of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional parts feeder.

FIG. 9 is a modified schematic sectional view of a conventional parts feeder.

[Explanation of symbols]

5 ... inner ring 5a ... mounting surface O ... vertically O _I ... Uchijikushin 12 ... outer race (12c ... outer ring body) 12d ... conveying surface 12e ... restricting surface O _O ... outer axis 18 ... guide member (18a ... guide surface ) 18b ... centrifugal force by rotation of the centrifugal force F _O ... outer ring by the discharge opening W ... part S ... accommodation space G ... gravity F _I ... rotation of the inner ring

Front page continued (72) Inventor Osamu Kito 5-16 Hosoya-cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture Kito Kogyo Co., Ltd. Wagiken

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An inner ring having a mounting surface at the upper end and being rotatable around an inner axis inclined with respect to the vertical direction, and a carrying surface at the upper end and a restricting surface at the inner periphery, An outer ring rotatably provided around the outer shaft while surrounding the outer ring of the inner ring, and a guide surface that surrounds the outer ring of the outer ring and has a discharge opening that is continuous with the transport surface. The surface and the restricting surface secure a storage space for storing a large number of parts that are inserted in a non-aligned state and have an axial length larger than the outer diameter, and the mounting surface is a frictional force of each of the parts, gravity, and the inner ring. The centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the parts causes the parts stored in the storage space to be axially aligned and then transferred to the transfer surface,
The guide surface regulates each of the parts on the transport surface from centrifugal force due to rotation of the outer ring, and the discharge opening is a part feeder that sequentially discharges each part from the transport surface by centrifugal force due to rotation of the outer ring. The parts feeder is characterized in that an inner end of the conveying surface of the outer ring is formed higher than an outer end thereof in the direction of the outer shaft center.