JPH10138078A - Work stock device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve automatic grasping of a work by a work supply/discharge device without requiring a necessary device or container for each work in a work stock device to supply/receive works to/from an automatic lathe. SOLUTION: This work stock device B is provided with a circulation passage for a work placement pallet 17 having a work supply zone 16 and a work recovering zone 17, the pallet 20 is formed in a rectangular flat form on which plural works (a), (b) can be circulated by pusher mechanisms 23, 30, etc., by a fluid pressure cylinder in a parallel move method, and in a transfer zone 18 between the work supply zone 16 and the work recovering zone 17, the non-processed work (a) is intermittently driven by a ball screw type slideunit 25 with the pallet 20, where the non-processed work (a) is positioned to a specified grasping position insuch a form that the non-processed work (a) is held by a pair of mutually facing abutting plates by a positioning unit 27.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stock apparatus for supplying and receiving a work to and from an automatic machine tool such as an automatic lathe, and more particularly to a stock apparatus for holding a work at a predetermined position for gripping the work by a robot automatic gripper. The present invention relates to a stock device that enables accurate positioning.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an automatic lathe such as an NC lathe which automatically performs a lathe operation, a work carried in from the outside and placed by a worker at a predetermined position on a supply table of a stock apparatus is automatically moved by a robot automatic gripper. After being gripped and transferred by, set on the main spindle of the lathe and let the workpiece be automatically cut,
An automatic supply / discharge device is used in which a workpiece released from the main spindle is again gripped and transferred by a robot automatic gripper, and is placed on a collection table of a stock device.

For example, an automatic lathe C shown in FIG. 10 is an NC lathe having two main spindles.
A work stock apparatus 101 comprising a work stock apparatus 02 and a work collection table 103 is installed, and a work supply / discharge apparatus 104 that reciprocates between the work stock apparatus 101 and the main spindles is arranged at the upper part of the machine base. The workpiece supply / discharge device 104 includes a workpiece gripper 105 as a robot automatic gripper, and the workpiece gripper 10 is operated by an NC mechanism operation panel 106.
5 is moved in the left-right direction, the front-rear direction, and the up-down direction to grip the unprocessed work a from the work supply table 102 and supply it to the automatic lathe C. And is placed on the work collecting table 103.

[0004] The workpiece gripping position by the workpiece gripper, that is, the robot automatic gripper, is strictly set, and the unprocessed workpiece to be gripped to be supplied to the automatic lathe is always accurately gripped on the workpiece supply table by a predetermined amount. Therefore, in the case of the work stock apparatus 101, the work supply table 102 is of a rotary table type, and is equipped with auxiliary jigs (not shown). A plurality of works are stocked at a predetermined position in a stacked state, and the work supply / discharge device 1 by an NC mechanism is used.
In conjunction with the operation of step 04, the rotating table 107 of the work supply table 102 is moved up or rotated every time the work is gripped, and the next unprocessed work a is moved to the work gripping position.

Alternatively, unlike the case where the work is directly placed at the work holding position on the table in accordance with the auxiliary jig or the like as described above, a container such as a pallet, which also serves as a carrier, which can store the work in a predetermined arrangement is prepared. Along with, the work supply table is formed so that the container is placed at a predetermined position,
In cooperation with the operation of the work supply / discharge device, the container arranged on the supply table is linearly or rotationally moved or further moved up and down every time the work is gripped, and the next unprocessed work is moved to the work gripping position. In some cases, it was moved to

[0006]

However, in order to grip the workpiece by the robot automatic gripping tool, the unprocessed workpiece carried in from the outside is held at each predetermined gripping position on the table of the workpiece supply table by an operator. However, when it is placed on a predetermined gripping position, it is necessary to carefully place it at each predetermined gripping position, and there is a problem in its workability. Further, in order to improve the workability of such a work placement operation, when an auxiliary jig that also serves as a work positioning is attached to a work supply table at each predetermined gripping position, as in the work placement device, the work is required. The auxiliary jigs are prepared for each type, and complicated installation and removal operations are required, and there are problems in economy and workability. Further, in the case where containers for storing works in a predetermined arrangement are arranged at predetermined positions on a supply table, it is necessary to prepare a large number of containers having accurate dimensional accuracy according to the work for each type of work. There was also a problem with economics in terms of cost.

[0007] In view of such a situation, the present invention provides a method for mounting a carried-in work at each predetermined holding position on a supply table.
In particular, without requiring the caution and skill of the worker, for example, the workpiece is placed in a random manner according to the mark, and even if there is a deviation from a predetermined gripping position, accurate positioning of the work is automatically performed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a highly economical work stock device in which holding by a robot automatic holding tool is performed without any trouble, and there is no need to prepare equipment and containers such as auxiliary jigs for each type of work.

In the following description, a gripping position at which the automatic gripper of the workpiece supply / discharge device can grip is referred to as a predetermined gripping position, and the gripping position on the pallet on which the workpiece is placed in expectation of gripping by the automatic gripper. The position is called a work holding position.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for grasping an unprocessed work at a grasping position with an automatic grasping tool and supplying the same to an automatic machine tool. A work stock apparatus operated in conjunction with a work automatic supply / discharge device that collects a finished work, including a circulation path for a work mounting pallet having a predetermined height having a work supply area and a work collection area, In the transition area between the work supply area and the work collection area,
A work comprising: an intermittent drive mechanism for intermittently driving the work mounting pallet for mounting the unprocessed work; and a positioning mechanism for positioning the unprocessed work at a predetermined gripping position set in the transition area. Provide stock equipment.

Further, the present invention provides a work stock apparatus in which the work mounting pallet is a rectangular flat pallet on which a plurality of works can be mounted, wherein the work supply area and the work collection area are vertically arranged in parallel. A work stock apparatus is provided in which the transition area is provided in the horizontal direction, and the work placement pallet is circulated in a parallel movement manner. The work placement pallet is moved in parallel by a pusher mechanism using a fluid pressure cylinder. A work stock device, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a pair of abutment plates for moving the unprocessed work on the work mounting pallet and holding the work at the predetermined gripping position; The mechanism is to provide a work stock apparatus which is a ball screw type driving mechanism.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A work stock apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an automatic lathe A provided with a work stock apparatus of the present invention. The automatic lathe A includes a work supply / discharge device 2 on an upper portion of a machine base 1; A left-right moving unit 4 that moves in the X-axis direction along a rail base 3 disposed on the upper surface of the machine base 1
And an automatic gripping unit 7 that is moved by a orthogonal coordinate moving mechanism including a front-rear moving unit 5 that moves in the Y-axis direction and a vertical moving unit 6 that moves in the Z-axis direction. The automatic gripper 7 includes a supply chuck 8 for gripping an unprocessed work and a collection chuck 9 for gripping a processed work.
With 0, the directions of both chucks 8 and 9 can be freely switched.

The work stock apparatus B is arranged on the side of the automatic lathe A. As will be described later, the unprocessed work a carried in from outside is placed at each predetermined position of the work supply section by an operator. In cooperation with the operation of the automatic lathe A, the position is automatically moved on the work stock apparatus B, and the unprocessed work a moved to the work holding position p is further moved at the work holding position p. It is automatically positioned at the correct predetermined gripping position P.
The work supply / discharge device 2 is operated by the operation of the NC operation panel 11, and the automatic gripping portion 7 grips the unprocessed work a at the predetermined gripping position P on the work stock device B and moves to the automatic lathe A side. Then, the workpiece is supplied to a main spindle (not shown), and the automatic gripper 7 grips the processed workpiece b and returns it to a predetermined gripping position P on the work stocking apparatus B. Is moved to the work collecting section side.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the work stock apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a rear view thereof. Workstock device B
In the above, a rectangular field 14 divided by side plates is formed in a frame table 13 on the apparatus mount 12, and the field 14 is further divided into two rows of partition plates 15 by side plates in the vertical direction (vertical direction in the drawing). Two vertically long sections are provided on the left and right sides, and one side (the right side in the figure) is provided in the work supply area 16.
The other side (the left side in the figure) is a work collection area 17, and the front and rear ends are a front transition area 18 and a rear transition area 19.
And a circulating path through which a large number of rectangular plate-like work mounting pallets 20 can move linearly in parallel.

In the work supply area 16 and the work recovery area 17, cylindrical roller strips 21 in which cylindrical rollers are arranged in a series as so-called cylindrical rollers are arranged in two rows, respectively. The pallet 20 placed on the pallet 20 in a crossing manner can move smoothly in the direction of the cylindrical roller strip 21. In the rear transition area 19,
A large number of spherical rollers 22 are arranged in two horizontal rows as so-called spherical rollers, and smoothly receive the pallet 20 moving vertically from the work collecting area 17 and smoothly move to the traveling side area (right side area) 19a. It is made to move in the direction.

A vertical pusher mechanism 23 of a cylinder type is provided in the traveling side area 19a of the rear transition area 19. The pusher mechanism 23 includes a pusher 24 provided at the end.
Then, the pallet 20 of the rear transition area 19 is moved to the front side of the work supply area 16 and the pallet 2 of the work supply area 16 is moved.
0 are sequentially pushed to the front transition area 18 side. The unprocessed work a is placed on the pallet 20 by a worker in the work supply area 16.

A slide unit 25 of a lateral ball screw drive type is provided in the front transition area 18 as an intermittent drive mechanism, and the pallet 2 pushed out of the work supply area 16 is provided.
0 is set on the pallet mounting table 26 of the slide unit 25. The pallet mounting table 26 intermittently moves at a distance corresponding to the interval between the unprocessed works a mounted on the pallet 20. It moves in the direction of the area 18a.

The front transition area 1 has a workpiece gripping position p for an automatic gripper 7 of the workpiece feeding / discharging device 2 at the center.
A vertical positioning unit 27 orthogonal to the horizontal slide unit 25 is provided at the work holding position p, and the slide unit 25 is moved by intermittent driving to reach the work holding position p. The unprocessed work a can be positioned at an accurate predetermined gripping position P. The positioning unit 27 moves the two abutment plates 28 and 29 in opposition to each other by driving the cylinder, and performs work positioning while holding the unprocessed work a.

After the positioning of the work, the backing plates 28 and 29 are retracted, and the unprocessed work a at the predetermined gripping position P is gripped by the automatic gripper 7 and supplied to the automatic lathe A in cooperation with the automatic lathe A. Thereafter, the processed work b is returned and placed at the same predetermined holding position P by the automatic holding unit 7, and the pallet 20 on which the work is placed moves intermittently again.

A vertical cylinder type pusher mechanism 30 is disposed in the forward side area 18a of the front transition area 18.
The pallet 2 of the traveling side area 18a is moved by the pusher 31.
0 to the work collection area 17 and this work collection area 1
7 are sequentially pushed out to the rear transition area 19 respectively. The processed work b is appropriately collected by a worker in the work collection area 17. Also,
The rear transition area 19 is provided with a pusher mechanism 32 of a lateral cylinder type, and the pusher 33 allows the pallet 20 received from the work collection area 17 to be further moved to the traveling side area 19a.

The pallet 20 used is, as shown in FIG. 4, formed of a rectangular plate made of a rolled material of an aluminum alloy, and the mounting position of the work is indicated by a marking line 34.
The pallet 20 is capable of mounting three or five workpieces, and small circles s indicated by solid lines in the drawing indicate the mounting position, ie, the workpiece gripping position p in the case of three workpieces. When placing multiple works, circle t with virtual line
The intersecting position of the marking line 34 indicated by the mark is set as the mounting position, that is, the work holding position p. The placement position intervals d _{1 and} d ₂ match the intermittent advance distance of the pallet 20 by the slide unit 25.

Further, the slide unit 25 will be described with reference to a plan view of FIG. 5 and a side view of FIG. The slide unit 25 is driven by a ball screw system, and has support plates 36 at both ends of a base plate 35.
37, a screw shaft 40 is rotatably supported together with the two guide shafts 38, 39, and the screw shaft 40 is
The pulley 4 is driven by the reduction motor 41 attached to the lower surface of the pulley 4.
It is designed to be rotationally driven through the components 2 and 43. A nut 44 is screwed onto the screw shaft 40 via a steel ball.
Is provided with an auxiliary slider 46 which fits without using a nut, and the pallet mounting table 26 is mounted on the upper surface thereof. The guide shafts 38 and 39 on both sides penetrate the slider 45 and the auxiliary slider 46,
The slider 45 slides in the horizontal direction (left-right direction) according to the rotation of the screw shaft 40, so that the pallet mounting table 26 moves in the horizontal direction. The pallet mounting table 26 is used for the pallet 2
The pallet table 26 has stoppers 47 on both sides of the front end face for receiving the pallets 20 pushed out from the work supply area 16 side.

Further, a side plate 48 hanging downward is mounted on a side surface of the pallet mounting table 26, and dogs 49A and 49B for intermittent advance are mounted below the side plate 48. Dog 4
9A and 49B distinguish between the case where the number of works placed on the pallet 20 is three and the case where the number of works is five, and dispose three dogs 49A inside at an interval d ₁ and five dogs 49B outside. The pallets 20 are attached at intervals d ₂ , and therefore correspond to the respective predetermined gripping positions P of the pallet 20. On the frame table 13 side, limit switches 50A and 50B with which the dogs 49A and 49B are engaged are provided at a central position corresponding to a predetermined gripping position P of the work to distinguish between three works and five works. It is attached. In addition, front transition area 1
8 limit switches 51A, 51 attached to both ends
B is for limiting the left and right ends of the stroke of the pallet mounting table 26.

Next, the positioning unit 27 will be described. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a positioning unit 27 for positioning the unprocessed workpiece a stopped at the workpiece gripping position p in the center of the front transition area 18 at an accurate predetermined gripping position P. FIG. FIG. A pair of left and right guide plates 55 and 56 facing each other are erected on a long base plate 54, and are supported by a support bar 57 located on the right side of the left guide plate 55 and slidably penetrating the left guide plate 55. Left slide plate 5
9, a horizontal contact plate 28 is attached to the upper surface of the right guide plate 5.
6, a horizontal contact plate 29 is mounted on the upper surface of a right slide plate 60 supported by a support bar 58 slidably penetrating the right guide plate 56, and the contact plate 28 and the contact plate 29 face each other on the same plane.

The right slide plate 60 is fixed to the lower end on one side and penetrates slidably through the left guide plate 55, the left slide plate 59, and the right guide plate 56. The base end (the right end in the figure) is a right guide. A driving rack shaft 62 attached to a driving plate 61 located on the right side of the plate 56 is provided, and is fixed to the lower end on the other side of the left sliding plate 59. The left guiding plate 55, the right sliding plate 60, the right guiding plate 56, and the driving plate And a driven rack shaft 63 slidably penetrating through the base plate 54.
A pneumatic cylinder 64 is attached to the right end of the cylinder, and the driving plate 61 is attached to the tip of a piston rod 65.

Further, the right guide plate 56 and the right slide plate 6
0, and a pinion 66 meshing with the rack portions 62a, 63a of the driven rack shaft 62 and the driven rack shaft 63 is attached to the base plate 54 via a bearing 67.

It should be noted that the base plate 54 and the backing plates 28 and 29
In the space between the slide units 25 are arranged,
The pallet 20 moved by the pallet mounting table 26 passes directly below the two contact plates 28 and 29, and the unprocessed work a placed passes between the two contact plates 28 and 29. The right end face, which is the opposing face of the abutment plate 28, is perpendicular to the axial direction of the main rack shaft 62 and the driven rack shaft 63, and the left end face of the abutment plate 29, which is the opposing face, is formed in a V-shape. The holding position of the cylindrical unprocessed work a, that is, the predetermined gripping position P is uniquely and accurately determined by three-point contact with the abutment plates 28 and 29. It is also possible to change the shape of the facing surface to a contact plate according to the shape of the work.

In the positioning unit 27, when the unprocessed work a on the pallet 20 reaches the work holding position p by the operation of the slide unit 25, the pneumatic cylinder 64 is controlled so as to operate. 65, ie, the leftward movement, the drive plate 6
The drive rack shaft 62 moves to the left along with 1, and the right slide plate 60 and its abutment plate 29 move to the left. Further, the leftward movement of the driving rack shaft 62 causes the rack portion 62a to move.
The pinion 66 meshes with the pinion 66 rotates counterclockwise, and the driven rack shaft 63 meshing with the pinion 66 and the rack portion 63a moves backward, that is, moves rightward. That is, since the left slide plate 59 and its backing plate 28 move rightward, the unprocessed work a can be positioned between the backing plates 28 and 29 and positioned. The unprocessed work a can be easily gripped and lifted by the supply chuck 8 of 7.

As shown in FIG. 9, the pusher mechanism 30 in the front transition area 18 has a pusher 31 having a U-shaped cross section attached to a slider 69 of a rodless pneumatic cylinder 68.
Avoid engagement with the slide unit 25, and pallet 2
The side end surface of the pusher 31 is pushed by the front end surface of the pusher 31. As shown in FIG. 3, the pusher mechanism 32 in the rear transition region 19 has a pusher 33 having an L-shaped cross section at the tip of a slider 71 of a long rodless pneumatic cylinder 70.
The pusher 33 pushes the side end surface of the pallet 20. The pusher mechanism 23 has the same configuration as the pusher mechanism 32.

That is, in the work stock apparatus B of the present invention, the unprocessed work a carried in from the outside is arranged on the pallet 20 of the work supply area 16 by the operator.
The unprocessed work a placed on the pallet 20 is sequentially moved by the pusher mechanism 23 together with the pallet 20 to the front transition area 18.
And is supplied to the slide unit 25. Slide unit 25 is intermittently transverse movement at a distance d ₁ or d ₂ corresponding pallet 20 mounted with the unmachined workpiece a to workpiece spacing by a ball screw feed drive. The unprocessed work a reaching the work gripping position p in the center is positioned at a precise predetermined gripping position P by the sandwiching operation of the opposing abutment plates 28 and 29 of the positioning unit 27, and then the automatic operation of the work supply / discharge device 2 is performed. Automatic lathe A gripped by gripper 7
Supplied to The processed work b gripped and transferred from the automatic lathe A by the automatic gripper 7 is placed at a predetermined gripping position P. The pallet 20 on which the processed work b is placed moves intermittently again. The unprocessed workpiece a sequentially reaches the workpiece gripping position p, is similarly positioned, and is supplied to the automatic lathe A by the automatic gripper 7.

The pallet 20 in the left end area 18a of the front transition area 18 in which the placed unprocessed work a is replaced with the processed work b is pushed out to the work collection area 17 by the pusher mechanism 30, and the work in the work collection area 17 is processed. The completed work b is appropriately carried out by an operator. Empty pallets 20 sequentially pushed into rear transition area 19 by pusher mechanism 30
Is moved to the right side area 19a by the operation of the pusher mechanism 32.

The pallet 20 is driven in parallel by a cylinder 14 and a ball screw to drive the field 14.
A series of operations such as the circulating movement of the workpiece 20 and the positioning of the workpiece 20 at the predetermined gripping position P are performed by the automatic lathe A under the control of the NC mechanism.
The operation is efficiently performed in accordance with the cutting process and the operation of the work supply / discharge device 2.

In this embodiment, the work is positioned by the dog and the limit switch in the intermittent drive mechanism in the front transition area. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Positioning can also be performed using a servomotor.

[0033]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the position of the unprocessed work is determined in the circulating path of the pallet on which the work is placed at a predetermined height, and the unprocessed work is set by the work supply / discharge device. Since automatic gripping can be performed, it is not necessary to accurately supply unprocessed work to the predetermined position of the supply unit from the beginning for automatic gripping, and by adjusting the intermittent movement distance of the intermittent drive mechanism It can be supplied to a predetermined gripping position according to the type of work, and does not require special jigs or special containers for each type of work, and does not require special equipment. This is advantageous in that a highly efficient and economical work stock device can be obtained.

A plurality of works are placed on a pallet so that they can move in a circulating path and are operated in cooperation with the intermittent drive mechanism, so that the work can be efficiently processed with relatively small-scale equipment. It works. The pallet can be moved in parallel, so that the pallet can be driven linearly. By using a fluid pressure cylinder for the linear drive, the pallet and the work can be moved with relatively simple equipment. To play. By positioning the positioning unit between a pair of opposing abutment plates, it is possible to uniquely set it to a predetermined gripping position with a simple mechanism, and it is particularly convenient for processing cylindrical workpieces that are often processed on a lathe. It has the effect of high performance. By using a ball screw drive system as the intermittent drive mechanism for providing the work to the positioning mechanism, the drive can be performed smoothly, the movement distance can be easily controlled, and a work stock device advantageous for the NC mechanism operation can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an automatic lathe provided with a work stock apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the work stock apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the work stock apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a pallet in the work stock apparatus of FIG.

5 is a plan view of a slide unit in the work stock apparatus of FIG. 2 with a part cut away.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the slide unit of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a positioning unit in the work stock apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of the positioning unit of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of the pusher mechanism in a front transition region of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a conventional automatic lathe.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List A Automatic lathe B Work stock device a Unprocessed work b Processed work P Predetermined gripping position p Work gripping position 1 Machine stand 2 Work supply / discharge device 3 Rail stand 4 Left / right moving unit 5 Front / back moving unit 6 Vertical moving unit 7 Automatic holding unit Reference Signs List 8 supply chuck 9 recovery chuck 10 rotary cylinder 11 NC operation panel 13 frame table 14 field 15 partition plate 16 work supply area 17 work recovery area 18 front transition area 19 rear transition area 20 pallet 21 cylindrical roller strip 22 spherical roller 23, 30 , 32 Pusher mechanism 25 Slide unit 26 Pallet mounting table 27 Positioning unit 28, 29 Backing plate 34 Marking line 36, 37 Support plate 38, 39 Guide shaft 40 Screw shaft 41 Reduction motor 44 Nut 45 Slider 46 Auxiliary slider 47 Stopper 49A, 49B Dog 0A, 50B limit switch 51A, 51B limit switch 55 left guide plate 56 right guide plate 57 left support bar 58 right support bar 59 left slide plate 60 right slide plate 61 drive plate 62 main driving rack shaft 63 driven rack shaft 64 pneumatic cylinder 66 Pinion 68,70 Rodless pneumatic cylinder

Claims (6)

[Claims] An unprocessed workpiece at a gripping position is gripped by an automatic gripper and supplied to an automatic machine tool, and is operated in conjunction with an automatic workpiece supply / discharge device for collecting a processed workpiece from the automatic machine tool. A work stock apparatus, comprising: a work placement pallet circulation path having a predetermined height having a work supply area and a work recovery area; and a transfer area between the work supply area and the work recovery area. An intermittent drive mechanism for intermittently driving the work mounting pallet for mounting an unprocessed work, and a positioning mechanism for positioning the unprocessed work at a predetermined gripping position set in the transition area. Work stock equipment. 2. The work stock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work mounting pallet is a rectangular flat pallet on which a plurality of works can be mounted. 3. The work supply area and the work collection area are provided in parallel in the vertical direction, the transition area is provided in the horizontal direction, and the work mounting pallet is circulated by a parallel movement method. The work stock apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein 4. The work stock apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the parallel movement of the work mounting pallet is performed by a pusher mechanism using a fluid pressure cylinder. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism includes a pair of backing plates for moving the unprocessed work on the work mounting pallet and holding the unworked work at the predetermined gripping position. 4. The work stock apparatus according to 4. 6. The work stock apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said intermittent drive mechanism is a ball screw type drive mechanism.