JPH10249536A - Method and equipment for welding vehicle body parts - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To produce the welding in which no positioning jig is required on a carrying device of a main part by welding a sub parts held by a handling robot to the main parts carried to the welding position in a set state by a welding robot. SOLUTION: When a main parts 3 is carried to the welding position by a carrying device 1, a handling robot 5 holes a sub parts 7 on a pallet 9, and positioned relative to the main parts 3 on the carrying device 1, and welded by a welding robot 11. Thus, a positioning jig of the main parts 3 on the carrying device 1 can be dispensed with, and the sub parts can be welded to the main parts 3 at a low cost. A holding part, an abutting part, and a hand part of the handling robot 5 and a pressing part, etc., of the welding robot 11 are adaptable to a work even when the work shape is slightly changed, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for welding a vehicle body part when welding a sub part to a main part carried to a predetermined welding work position by a carrying device.

[0002]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to enable a sub part to be welded to a main part without requiring a jig for positioning the main part on a transfer device.

[0003]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention firstly positions a sub part gripped by a handling robot at a predetermined position of a main part transported to a predetermined welding work position. With it set
This is a welding method for welding and joining the main part and the sub part by a welding robot.

According to the above-described method for welding body parts, the sub-parts gripped by the handling robot are welded and joined to the main part in a state where they are positioned and set with respect to the main part. No tools are required.

Second, in a body part welding apparatus for welding sub-parts to a main part conveyed to a predetermined welding work position by a conveying device, the sub-parts are gripped by a grip part. In this state, there is provided a handling robot for positioning and setting the main part in a predetermined position of the main part, and a welding robot for welding and joining the sub part and the main part positioned and set by the handling robot.

According to the above construction, the sub-component gripped by the handling robot is positioned and set with respect to the main component on the transfer device, and the welding operation can be performed by the welding robot in this state. A jig for positioning is not required.

Third, the main part and the sub-part are welded to each other with welding portions on both sides of the central space between them, and handling for positioning and setting the sub-part to the main part. The hand portion of the robot includes a holding portion for holding the vicinity of the welding portion on one side with respect to the space portion, and a contact portion for bringing the vicinity of the welding portion on the other side into contact with the sub component side, and the welding robot Holds the main part and the sub-part between the welding gun for welding the welding part on one side and the welding part on the other side or the vicinity of the welding part to abut on the handling robot side. And a pressing portion to perform.

According to the above configuration, when the holding part cannot be formed in the vicinity of the welding part on the other side of the space part on the handling robot side due to the shape of the main part and the sub part or the form of connection between them. However, by pressing the pressing portion against the main component from the welding robot side, the other side can also be sandwiched between the contact portion on the hand-held robot side and stable welding work can be performed.

Fourth, the pressing portion is integrated with the welding gun.

According to the above configuration, the positioning set of the sub-part relative to the main part during the welding operation can be achieved with a compact configuration.

[0011]

According to the first invention or the second invention,
The sub-parts gripped by the handling robot are welded and joined with the main parts positioned and set.Therefore, a jig for positioning the main parts on the transfer device is not required, and the positioning jig is unnecessary. Can be simplified and cost can be reduced.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, even when a holding portion cannot be formed near the welding portion on the other side of the handling robot with the space therebetween, the pressing portion is provided from the welding robot side. By pressing against the component, similarly to one side having the holding portion, the other side can also be held between the contact portion on the handling robot side, and a stable welding operation can be performed.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the pressing portion provided on the welding robot is integrated with the welding gun, the positioning of the sub-parts relative to the main parts during the welding operation can be achieved with a compact configuration. Can be.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an apparatus for welding vehicle body parts according to an embodiment of the present invention. A main part 3 constituting a body side outer body of a vehicle body is held on a transfer device 1 such as a chain conveyor or the like in an upright state such that a roof rail side is an upper part and a side sill side is a lower part. It is conveyed from left to right as indicated by arrow A in the figure.

Three handling robots 5 are installed on the right side of the transfer direction of the transfer device 1 (under the transfer device 1 in FIG. 1). The handling robot 5 grips an inner component serving as a sub component 7 which is welded to the body side outer, which is the main component 3, and positions it at a predetermined position of the main component 3. The sub-parts 7 are previously placed on a pallet 9 disposed on the right side of the handling robot 5, and the handling robot 5 grasps the sub-parts 7 on the pallet 9 and moves the sub-parts 7 onto the transfer device 1. Is set on a predetermined part of the main part 3.

Three welding robots 11 are installed on the left side (in the upper side of the transfer device 1 in FIG. 1) in the transfer direction of the transfer device 1. The welding robot 11 welds and connects the two parts to each other while the handling robot 5 sets the sub-part 7 at a predetermined position of the main part 3.

FIG. 2 shows a specific configuration of the above-described welding apparatus, and corresponds to a view of the front side in the transport direction from the left side in FIG. The handling robot 5 includes an upper hand unit 13 for setting the sub-component 7 on the upper side of the main component 3, a center hand unit 15 for setting the sub-component 7 at a vertically central portion of the main component 3, A lower hand portion 17 for setting the sub-component 7 on the lower side of the component 3
And

FIG. 3 shows the hand units 13, 15, 1
7 shows details of a hand unit 13 located at an upper part, and the hand unit 13 includes a support bracket 21 fixed to an arm base 19 of the handling robot 5.
It has. At the center of the support bracket 21 in the up-down direction, a locate clamp 22 serving as a holding part for holding the sub-component 7 is provided.
A holding portion 23 for holding the main component 3 and a holding portion 23 is provided at a lower end of the support bracket 21.

As shown in FIG. 4, the locate clamp 22 has a main body 22a in which a clamp claw 22b is accommodated so as to be movable in the left-right direction in the figure. The movement in the left-right direction is performed by fitting the support pin 22c provided on the main body 22a into the elongated hole 22d provided on the clamp claw 22b. The long hole 22d has a bent portion 2 on the rear end side on the right side in the drawing.
2e is formed, the clamp claw 22b moves forward, and the support pin 22c enters the bent portion 22e, so that the clamp claw 22b is in a state shown by a two-dot chain line.

The main body 22a has an insertion portion 22f at the distal end, which is inserted into an insertion hole formed in the sub component 7. When inserting the insertion portion 22f into the insertion hole of the sub component 7, the clamp claw 22b is moved to the distal end side as shown by the two-dot chain line, and the claw 22g at the distal end enters the insertion portion 22f. is there. On the other hand, the clamp claw 22b for clamping the sub-part 7 is retracted rearward, and the claw 22g is projected from the side of the insertion portion 22f, so that the claw 2
The sub component 7 is clamped between 2g and the main body 22a.

Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the work composed of the main part 3 and the sub-part 7 has both sides joined together with a central space therebetween (upper and lower sides in FIG. 3). In FIG. 3, the vicinity of one upper side of the welding portion in FIG. 3 is sandwiched by the holding portion 23, and the vicinity of the lower side of the other side of the welding portion is sub-joined by the contact portion 25. It contacts and supports from the part 7 side.

The holding portion 23 includes a fixed arm 27 having a base end fixed to the support bracket 21, and a fixed arm 27.
Arm 3 that is rotatable via a connecting link 29 with respect to
1 is provided. Each arm 27, 31 and contact part 25
Are provided at the tips of the spheres, respectively. Spherical holding parts 33, 35 and 37 are provided, and these holding parts 33, 35 and 37 come into contact with the work.

A pneumatic cylinder 39 is mounted on the side of the support bracket 21 opposite to the portion where the fixed arm 27 is attached, and the distal end of a rod 39 a of the pneumatic cylinder 39 is fixed to the base end of the movable arm 31. . That is, the operation of the pneumatic cylinder 39 causes the movable arm 31 to move the connecting link 2
9 and is displaced between a holding position shown in FIG. 3 and a non-holding position shown in FIG.

The other hand parts 15 and 17 in the handling robot 5 have the same configuration as the hand part 13 shown in FIG. 3 depending on the shape of the main part 3 and the sub-part 7 or the form of connection between them. In some cases, if different, for example,
And the case where an abutment portion 25 is provided on the upper side.

On the other hand, in the welding robot 11, as shown in FIG. 2, a welding gun 43 is provided at the tip of an arm 41, and the welding gun 43 comes into contact with the handling robot 5 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, which will be described later, a pressing portion 45 for pressing the main component 3 is provided so as to sandwich the work with the portion 25.

The pressing portion 45 has a pneumatic cylinder 49 mounted on a bracket 47 integrally projecting from the welding gun 43, and a spherical pressing portion 53 is provided at the tip of a rod 51 of the pneumatic cylinder 49. .

Next, the operation will be described. When the main part 3 is transferred to the welding operation position shown in FIG. 1 by the transfer device 1 and stopped, the handling robot 5 clamps the sub-part 7 on the pallet 9 by the locate clamp 22, and as shown in FIG. , Approach a predetermined part of the main part 3. At this time, the holding unit 2 of the handling robot 5
3 is a state in which the distal end of the movable arm 31 is separated from the fixed arm 27 side and both arms 27 and 31 are released from each other, and the holding portion 33 at the distal end of the fixed arm 27 in this released state.
The pressing part 37 at the tip of the contact part 25 is in contact with the sub component 7.

The sub part 7 is further moved from the state shown in FIG. 5 and set at a predetermined position of the main part 3 for positioning. After the positioning and setting, the pneumatic cylinder 39 is operated, and the movable arm 31 is rotated and displaced in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 5, and is fixed to the pressing portion 35 at the tip of the movable arm 31 as shown in FIG. Holding part 33 at the tip of arm 27
And clamp the work in place. The holding portion of the handling robot 5 with respect to the workpiece is the welding robot 11.
Near the welded area.

FIG. 7 shows a hand section 13 of the handling robot 5 for a workpiece viewed from the direction of arrow C in FIG.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the position of the welding gun 43 during welding by the welding robot 11. The hand unit 13 of the handling robot 5 is located in a region D indicated by oblique lines,
At this position, the above-described positioning setting operation is performed. On the other hand, the welding gun 43 of the welding robot 11 is located at a position of a region E shown by a dashed line in a state inclined with respect to the region D.
The point P1 is the welding position, and the point Q1 is the position pressed by the pressing portion 45.

At the time of welding at the point P1 by the welding gun 43, the pneumatic cylinder 49 of the pressing portion 45 operates to operate the rod 5
The work 1 is extended, and the holding portion 53 at the tip thereof holds and fixes the work at the point Q1 between the holding portion 53 of the fixed arm 25 on the handling robot 5 side. Thereby, the opening of the work on the lower side in FIG. 3 in which the handling robot 5 is not pinched and fixed during the welding operation, that is, the opening of the main part 3 and the sub part 7 is avoided, and accurate welding is performed. Is performed.

After the welding operation on the point P1 in the area E of the welding gun 43 is completed, the pressing operation of the welding gun 43 on the workpiece is released, and the pressing operation of the pressing part 53 on the main component 3 also moves the rod 51 backward. Release by doing. In this state, the welding gun 43 is displaced to the position of the region F indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 7, and at this position, the welding gun 43 is pressed at the point P2 while being pressed at the point Q2 by the pressing portion 45 in the same manner as described above. Welding.

In FIG. 3, the welding portion on the lower side, that is, FIG.
Are performed by the welding gun 43 with the rod 51 of the pneumatic cylinder 49 in the pressing portion 45 retracted.

As described above, according to the above-described method for welding body parts, the welding operation is performed by the welding robot 11 in a state where the sub-part 7 gripped by the handling robot 5 is positioned and set with respect to the main part 3. Thus, a jig for positioning the main component 3 on the transfer device 1 is not required, and the sub component 7 can be welded to the main component 3 at low cost. Further, the holding portion 23, the contact portion 25, and the locate clamp 2 of the handling robot 5 are provided.
The hand unit 13 provided with the second unit 2 and the pressing unit 45 on the side of the welding robot 11 can cope with a slight change in the shape of the work due to a model change of an automobile or the like without modification, which contributes to a reduction in manufacturing cost. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an apparatus for welding a vehicle body part according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram showing a specific configuration of the welding device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a hand unit in the handling robot of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the locate clamp shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of a hand unit in the handling robot of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory view showing a welding operation by the welding robot of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a position of a hand portion of the handling robot with respect to the workpiece and a position of a welding gun of the welding robot.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Conveying device 3 Main part 5 Handling robot 7 Sub-part 11 Welding robot 22 Locate clamp (gripping part) 23 Nipping part 25 Contact part 43 Welding gun 45 Press part

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Shoichi Takahashi 2 Takaracho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A main body and a sub-part are welded and joined by a welding robot in a state where the sub-part held by a handling robot is positioned and set at a predetermined part of a main part conveyed to a predetermined welding work position. A method for welding body parts, characterized by the following. 2. A body part welding apparatus for welding sub-parts to a main part conveyed to a predetermined welding work position by a conveying device, wherein the sub-parts are held by a holding part. A body part welding apparatus, comprising: a handling robot for positioning and setting at a predetermined portion of the main part; and a welding robot for welding and joining the sub part and the main part positioned and set by the handling robot. 3. A handling robot for positioning and setting the sub-part on the main part, wherein the main part and the sub-part are welded to each other and have welding parts on both sides with a central space therebetween. The hand portion includes a holding portion for holding the vicinity of the welding portion on one side with respect to the space portion, and a contact portion for bringing the vicinity of the welding portion on the other side into contact with the sub component side, and the welding robot includes: Pressing the main part and the sub-part between the welding gun that welds the welding part on one side and the welding part or the vicinity of the welding part on the other side and the contact part on the handling robot side The welding apparatus for a vehicle body part according to claim 2, further comprising a part. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the pressing portion is integrated with the welding gun.