JPH10230423A - Ball fitting work automatic assembling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize the supply of balls and the mutual assembling of a plurality of members with high accuracy and high efficiency and remarkably reduce product cost. SOLUTION: This ball fitting work automatic assembling device is provided with an elastic holding mechanism A having a pair of holding pieces 6 keeping a governor ball case to its horizontal attitude by elastically holding from both the radial sides by the ball fitting groove part in a ball acceptable attitude, a jig B for assembling having a tapered surface 8A which is narrowed on the lower side including a peripheral surface part 8a closing the opening inward in the diameter of the ball fitting groove part by being fitted in a vertical through state into the center hole part of the governor ball case which is kept to the horizontal attitude by this elastic holding mechanism A and a sleeve holding part 8B which is possible to externally fit and keep a governor sleeve 3, a jig holding mechanism C having a pair of holding members 9 holding and keeping this jig B for assembling from the both radial sides and a lower end supporting member 10 elastically receiving and supporting the lower end of the jig B, and an automatic ball supplying device D automatically supplying a prescribed number of balls to the ball fitting groove part of the governor ball case.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a governor ball case and a governor sleeve which is fitted into a central hole of the case so as to allow a relative rotation between the two. Automatic ball-insertion work assembling, which is applied to assembling a ball-insertion work which is manufactured by inserting a predetermined number of balls between at least two members, such as a ball governor interposed, and assembling them together. The present invention relates to a mounting device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, the ball governor will be described as an example. In general, a predetermined number of balls are supplied to a ball fitting portion of a governor ball case while aligning them one by one. Assembling means such that the governor sleeve is fitted in the central hole of the governor case, or the governor sleeve is fitted in the central hole of the governor ball case while maintaining the position of the ball manually so as not to overlap. In addition, an assembling means has been employed in which a gap is formed between the two in the circumferential direction so that the ball can pass therethrough, and the balls are fitted one by one through the gap.

[0003]

However, since all of the above-mentioned assembling means depend on manual work, the work requires a high level of skill and experience, and the labor cost is extremely high. In addition, the assembly (production) efficiency is very poor, and this has a problem that it is reflected in the rise in product costs. In particular, the work is small in size,
If the shape is difficult to hold by hand, not only the above problem is more pronounced, but also because the ball itself has a very small diameter, Inevitably, there is a problem that the results cannot be obtained in terms of product yield.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and realizes the supply of balls and the assembling of a plurality of members with high accuracy and high efficiency, thereby achieving a remarkable reduction in product cost. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for automatically assembling a work for inserting a ball.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an automatic ball-insertion work assembling apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
An annular first member having a ball insertion portion that opens in one of the axial directions and radially inward and a central hole of the first member are fitted into the first member to remove the ball received by the ball insertion portion. An apparatus for assembling a workpiece including an annular second member that is held in a stopped state, wherein the ball-shaped first member is configured to receive the ball supplied from above. An elastic holding mechanism having a pair of holding pieces that can be moved relatively far and near and held in a horizontal posture while being held from both sides in the radial direction, and provided with a spring that biases the pair of holding pieces in a relatively approaching direction; A peripheral surface portion for closing the ball fitting portion inwardly radially by fitting the central portion portion of the annular first member held in a horizontal posture by the elastic holding mechanism in a vertically penetrating state. Including its closed peripheral surface An outer peripheral surface of a lower portion is formed as a tapered surface of a downward constriction, and a second member holding portion capable of externally holding the annular second member is provided above the closed peripheral surface portion. An assembling jig and the assembling jig disposed below the elastic holding mechanism and fitted into the central hole of the annular first member in a vertically penetrating state from both sides in the radial direction. A lower end support member for elastically receiving and supporting a lower end portion of the assembling jig, and holding the assembling jig with respect to the annular first member. A jig holding mechanism for holding the jig at a predetermined position and posture, and an assembling jig held in a horizontal position via the elastic holding mechanism and held at a predetermined position and jig via the jig holding mechanism The above-mentioned ring closed inward in the radial direction by the above-mentioned closed peripheral surface portion It is characterized in that the ball fitting portion of the first member in the form and an automatic supply ball automatic feeder ball predetermined number.

According to the automatic ball-insertion work assembling apparatus having such a configuration, the annular first member of the work is elastically held in a horizontal posture by being sandwiched from both sides in the radial direction by the pair of holding pieces of the elastic holding mechanism. At the same time, the assembly jig fitted into the central hole of the annular first member in a vertically penetrating state is held at a predetermined position and posture by a pair of holding members and a lower end support member of the jig holding mechanism. The part of the tapered outer peripheral surface of the assembling jig can close the radially inward opening of the ball fitting portion of the first member.
By operating the automatic ball supply device in this state, a predetermined number of balls can be reliably and automatically supplied to the ball fitting portion of the annular first member without excess or shortage. After the ball is supplied, the ball is inserted into the ball by the outer peripheral surface of the assembly jig by pressing the assembly jig downward against the elasticity of the lower end support member of the jig holding mechanism. The annular second member of the work externally fitted to and held by the holding part on the upper part of the assembling jig is connected to the assembling jig while keeping it from falling inward of the diameter of the part. Can be securely fitted to the central hole.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a completed state of a ball governor as an example of a ball-fitting work to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a front view showing a partial section of an automatic ball governor assembling apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of FIG.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ball governor 5 has an L-shaped cross section having a ball fitting groove 1A which opens in one direction in the axial direction and radially inward. 1), a predetermined number of balls 2 which are circumferentially aligned and fitted into the ball fitting grooves 1A of the governor ball case 1, and coaxially fitted into the central holes 1B of the governor ball case 1. An annular tubular governor sleeve (second member) 3 having an L-shaped cross section which holds the ball 2 in the axial direction and the radial direction by preventing the ball 2 from being pulled out, and the governor of the governor sleeve 3 A cylindrical portion 3 protruding from the central hole 1B of the ball case 1
And a circlip 4 which elastically fits into an annular groove 3a formed on the outer peripheral surface of A to prevent the governor sleeve 3 from being pulled out in the axial direction.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the automatic assembling device for the ball governor 5 is roughly divided into an elastic holding mechanism A for holding the governor ball case 1 in the ball governor 5 in a horizontal posture. An assembling jig B which can be vertically penetrated into the central hole 1B of the governor ball case 1 which is sandwiched and held by the elastic holding mechanism A in a horizontal posture, and disposed below the elastic holding mechanism A. A jig holding mechanism C for holding the assembling jig B fitted into the central hole 1B of the governor ball case 1 in a vertically penetrating state at a predetermined position and posture with respect to the governor ball case 1.
And a ball automatic supply device D for automatically supplying a predetermined number of balls 2 to the ball fitting groove 1A of the governor ball case 1.

The elastic pinching mechanism A holds the governor ball case 1 in the ball governor 5 from both sides in the radial direction so as to receive the ball 2 from which the ball fitting groove 1A is dropped and supplied from above. And a semicircular recess into which a half of the governor ball case 1 is fitted at the distal end thereof. A pair of holding pieces 6, 6 having 6a, 6a;
Compression coil springs 7, 7 which slidably bias the pair of holding pieces 6, 6 in a direction of relative approach, that is, in a direction of holding the governor ball case 1 fitted and held in the semicircular recesses 6a, 6a. And the main configuration.

The assembling jig B includes the elastic holding mechanism A
A peripheral surface portion 8a for closing the opening of the ball fitting groove portion 1A inwardly by fitting the central hole portion 1B of the governor ball case 1 held in a horizontal posture by a vertical penetration through the central hole portion 1B; The lower outer peripheral surface including the closed peripheral surface portion 8a is formed as a tapered surface 8A of the lower constriction, and the governor sleeve 3 of the ball governor 5 can be fitted and held above the closed peripheral surface portion 8a ( (See FIG. 8).
A cylindrical portion 8C having an inner hole 8c opening downward at the center thereof is integrally provided below the lower end of the tapered surface 8A.

The jig holding mechanism C is a column of the assembling jig B which is disposed below the elastic holding mechanism A and is fitted into the central hole 1B of the governor ball case 1 in a vertically penetrating state. The portion 8C is interlockingly connected to a cylinder 13 fixed to the fixed base 11 so as to sandwich and hold the portion 8C from both sides in the radial direction.
and a fixed shaft 10a projecting upward from the fixed gantry 11 so as to fit into the inner hole 8c of the cylindrical portion 8C of the assembling jig 8 described above.
And a coil spring 1 wound around the outer periphery of the fixed shaft 10a
0b, and a lower end supporting member 10 for elastically receiving and supporting the lower end of the assembling jig B. The assembling jig B is connected to the governor ball case by these members 9, 9 and 10. It is configured to hold a predetermined position and posture with respect to the first position.

The automatic ball feeder D is held in a horizontal position by the elastic holding mechanism A, and is held at a predetermined position and attitude with respect to the governor ball case 1 by the jig holding mechanism C. A predetermined number of balls 2 are automatically supplied to the ball fitting groove portion 1A of the governor ball case 1 whose opening to the inside is closed by the closed peripheral surface portion 8a at the upper end of the tapered surface 8A of the assembly jig B. The ball automatic supply device D will be described in more detail as follows.

That is, as clearly shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of balls 2 are housed in a vertical state in which the peripheral surfaces of the vertically adjacent balls 2 and 2 are in close contact with each other, and the downward movement of the balls 2 by gravity is guided. A vertically long cylindrical member 1 having a vertical supply path 14
5 is fixedly supported at the distal end of a horizontal arm 17 provided vertically movably with respect to the fixed base 11 via a vertical cylinder 16. A ball supply block 19 is fixedly connected to a lower end portion of the vertically long cylindrical member 15 via a horizontal arm body 18 that moves up and down integrally with the horizontal arm body 17. When it is lowered to the sleeve holding portion 8B and the tapered surface 8A of the assembly jig B.
A through-hole 19a that can be fitted into the upper end of the vertical supply path 14 from above and an inclined supply path 19b that is connected to the lower end of the vertical supply path 14 to guide the ball 2 into the ball insertion groove 1A of the governor ball case 1 for drop supply. A vertical supply path 19c is formed following the lower end of the inclined supply path 19b.

In the vertical supply path 14 of the vertical cylindrical member 14, a ball cutting device that separates the balls 2 in a tandemly close state as described above into single pieces and sequentially discharges the balls 2 to a lower vertical supply path 14B. And the inclined supply path 19b is provided at the lower end of the lower vertical supply path 14B.
It is detected at the lower end of the vertical supply path 19c communicating with the ball supply device 19 that the ball 2 cut by the ball cutting device E is supplied into the ball fitting groove 1A of the governor ball case 1 which is a work. The photoelectric sensor 20 is provided as a ball passing detection sensor that performs the detection. The block 19 has a vertical hole 21 communicating therewith near the lower end of the inclined supply path 19b above the passage detection position of the photoelectric sensor 20. In the vertical hole 21, the horizontal hole 21 is provided. A ball pusher 24 capable of forcibly and elastically pushing the ball 2 in a vertical supply path 19c communicating with the inclined supply path 19b downward through a cylinder 22 and a coil spring 23 attached to the arm body 18 is vertically moved. It is movably inserted and held.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 9, the ball cutting device E provided in the middle of the vertical supply path 14 has the same diameter and the same diameter as the upper vertical supply path 14A and the lower vertical supply path 14B. A fixed plate piece 25A having a core-shaped ball passage hole 25a, and ball passage holes 25b, 25 having the same diameter as the ball passage hole 25a.
c and a pair of upper and lower movable plate pieces 25B and 25C which are closely arranged above and below the fixed plate piece 25A, respectively.
As shown in FIGS. 9 (A) to 9 (C), the upper and lower movable plate pieces 25B and 25C are fixed to the horizontal arm 17 through a cylinder 26 as shown in FIGS.
5b and 25c are ball passage holes 25a of the fixed plate piece 25A,
The upper vertical supply path 14A is slid horizontally along the upper and lower surfaces of the fixed plate piece 25A so as to be alternately connected to the upper vertical supply path 14A and the lower vertical supply path 14B.
The ball 2 descending in a close tandem state is separated into single balls 2 and sequentially discharged to the lower vertical supply path 14B, that is, cut out.

Next, an automatic ball governor assembling operation performed by the automatic ball governor assembling apparatus constructed as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. First, FIG.
As shown in (1), the circlip 4 and the governor ball case 1 are fitted and held in the semicircular recesses 6a, 6a at the tips of the pair of holding pieces 6, 6 in the elastic holding mechanism A, and then the governor ball case 1 is compressed. At the same time, the circlip 4 and the governor held by the pair of holding pieces 6, 6 urged to slide and move in the holding direction via the coil springs 7, while holding the circlip 4 in a horizontal posture from both sides in the radial direction. The assembling jig B is fitted in the central hole 1B of the ball case 1 in a vertically penetrating state, and the cylindrical portion 8C of the assembling jig B is fitted to a pair of holding members in the jig holding mechanism C. 9,
9 while holding the lower end of the cylindrical portion 8C with the fixed shaft 10a and the coil spring 10b.
The assembling jig B is held at a predetermined position and posture with respect to the governor ball case 1 by elastically receiving and supporting the lower end supporting member 10 made of. As a result, the inward radial opening of the ball fitting groove 1A of the governor ball case 1 is closed by the closed peripheral surface 8a at the upper end of the tapered surface 8A of the assembly jig B, and the ball fitting groove 1A of the governor ball case 1 is formed. Is ready to accept the ball.

In this state, when the automatic ball feeder D composed of the horizontal arm 17, the horizontal arm 18, and the ball supply block 19 is lowered via the vertical cylinder 16, and it is lowered to the lowermost position, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the ball fitting groove 1 of the governor ball case 1 in which the inclined supply path 19b and the vertical supply path 19c connected to the lower end of the vertical supply path 14 are ready to receive balls as described above.
A is connected. In such a connection state, the ball cutting device E in the automatic ball supply device D operates in the order of FIGS. 9A to 9C and descends in the upper vertical supply path 14A in a tandem state. After the incoming balls 2 are separated one by one, and the separated single balls 2 are sequentially discharged to the lower vertical supply path 14B, that is, after being cut out,
From the lower end of the lower vertical supply path 14B, the inclined supply path 1
The ball 9b and the vertical supply path 19c are dropped and supplied into the ball fitting groove 1A of the governor ball case 1. As described above, the ball cutting device E separates the balls 2 into single pieces and sequentially cuts the balls 2 into the lower vertical supply path 14B. It is possible to remove
The cut single ball 2 passes through the vertical supply path 19c and passes through the ball fitting groove 1 of the governor ball case 1.
A is detected (counted) by the photoelectric sensor 20 to detect that the ball 2 has actually been dropped and supplied. If the passage of the number of balls 2 corresponding to the number of cutouts is not detected, the cylinder 22
By moving the ball pusher 24 downward along the vertical hole 21 via the coil spring 23 to forcibly and elastically push the ball 2 in the vertical supply path 19c downward, the ball 2 is automatically moved. In addition to the supply operation, a predetermined number of balls 2 can be reliably supplied into the ball fitting groove 1A of the governor ball case 1 without excess or shortage.

After a predetermined number of balls 2 are automatically supplied into the ball fitting groove 1A of the governor ball case 1, the horizontal arm 1 is inserted through the vertical cylinder 16.
7. The automatic ball supply device D including the horizontal arm 18 and the ball supply block 19 is lifted and retracted from the assembly jig B. In this state, the governor sleeve 3 of the ball governor 5 is externally fitted and held on the sleeve holding portion 8B of the assembly jig B as shown in FIG. When the pressing force f is applied, the assembling jig B moves straight down against the elastic force of the coil spring 10b of the lower end supporting member 10, and as the descent moves, the jig B is externally fitted to the sleeve holding portion 8B. The governor sleeve 3 is the governor ball case 1
The circlip 4, which is fitted and penetrated into the central hole portion 1B, is elastically fitted to the tapered surface 8A, and expands.
The annular groove 3a formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 3A of the governor sleeve 3 is elastically engaged with the annular groove 3a and is prevented from being pulled out, whereby a predetermined number of balls 2 supplied into the ball fitting groove portion 1A are removed. The ball governor 5 as shown in FIG. 1 is completed by being sandwiched and held between the governor sleeve 3 and the governor ball case 1.

As described above, the supply of a predetermined number of balls 2 to the governor ball case 1
In addition to automating a series of assembling operations up to mutual assembling with the governor sleeve 3, the assembling accuracy can be improved, and the manufacturing cost of the entire ball governor 5 can be significantly reduced.

In the above-described embodiment, the description has been given of the case where the ball-fitting work is applied to the assembling of the ball governor. In addition, two annularly divided members are fitted to each other, The same effects as described above can be obtained even when the present invention is applied to the assembly of a work such as a ball bearing which is assembled by interposing a plurality of balls between two members.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, the elastic holding mechanism for holding the annular first member of the work elastically in a horizontal posture by sandwiching the first member from both sides in the radial direction, and the elastic holding mechanism via the elastic holding mechanism A part of the tapered outer peripheral surface of the held annular first member is fitted into the central hole of the held annular first member in a vertically penetrating state to close the radially inward opening of the ball fitting portion of the annular first member. With the combination of the assembling jig and the automatic ball feeding device, it is possible to reliably and automatically supply a predetermined number of balls to the ball fitting portion of the annular first member without excess or shortage. While keeping the supplied ball from falling inside the diameter of the ball fitting section,
The annular second member of the workpiece can be reliably and concentrically fitted into the central hole of the annular first member. Therefore, not only can the efficiency of the assembling work be significantly improved by automation from the supply of the balls to the mutual assembling of a plurality of members, but also the assembling accuracy can be remarkably improved and the product cost can be significantly reduced. It works.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a completed state of a ball governor as an example of a ball-fitting work to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the ball governor automatic assembling apparatus according to the present invention in a partially sectional view.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional front view of the automatic ball feeding device.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a main part showing a first step in an assembling operation of the ball governor.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional front view of a main part showing a second step in the assembling operation of the ball governor.

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional front view of a main part showing a third step in the assembling operation of the ball governor.

FIGS. 9A to 9C are enlarged longitudinal sectional views of a main part for explaining a cutting operation of the ball cutting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List A elastic holding mechanism B assembling jig C jig holding mechanism D automatic ball feeding device E ball cutting device 1 governor ball case (first member) 1A ball insertion groove portion 1B central hole portion 2 ball 3 governor sleeve (second member) 5) Ball governor (work) 6 Holding piece 8A Tapered surface 8a Closing peripheral surface 8B Sleeve holding portion (second member holding portion) 9 Holding member 10 Lower end support member

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An annular first member having a ball fitting portion that opens in one of the axial directions and radially inward, and is fitted into the ball fitting portion by fitting into a central hole of the first member. An apparatus for assembling a workpiece comprising an annular second member for holding the ball in a retaining state, wherein the annular first member is connected to a ball supplied from above by the ball fitting portion. It has a pair of holding pieces that can be moved relatively far away from each other and held in a horizontal position while being sandwiched from both sides in the radial direction in a receivable manner, and provided with a spring that biases the pair of holding pieces to move in the relative approach direction. An elastic inward clamping mechanism and a vertically inwardly penetrating state fitted in a central hole of the annular first member held in a horizontal position by the elastic inwardly closing the ball inward opening. Having a peripheral surface portion A second member holding portion that has a lower peripheral surface including a chain peripheral surface portion formed in a tapered surface of a downward constriction, and is capable of externally holding the annular second member above the closed peripheral surface portion. And an assembling jig disposed below the elastic clamping mechanism and fitted into the central hole of the annular first member in a vertically penetrating state. A pair of clamping members for clamping and holding from both sides in the direction and a lower end support member for elastically receiving and supporting the lower end of the assembling jig. A jig holding mechanism for holding the member at a predetermined position and posture with respect to one member, and a jig holding mechanism for holding the member in a horizontal posture via the elastic holding mechanism;
The assembly jig held at a predetermined position and posture via the jig holding mechanism is inserted into a ball fitting portion of the first annular member closed in the radially inward direction by the closed peripheral surface portion. An automatic ball fitting work assembling device, comprising: a ball automatic supply device that automatically supplies a number of balls.