JPH106254A - Work conveying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a work conveying device which can convey a work smoothly and quickly in the horizontal direction in which interference with a working machine, etc., can well be avoided. SOLUTION: A bridging structure 23 is fixed to bases 20, 21 in such a way as striding over the space (pit 16) of the floor of a factory. On this bridging structure 23, a rail 35 is furnished stretching in the horizontal direction, and a lead screw 46 and spline shaft 47 to drive a reciprocating member 51 are furnished over the rail 35. A nut member 50 to be engaged by the lead screw 46 is furnished on the reciprocating member 51, under which a cam follower 52 is installed, and arms 70 and 71 are provided on the member 51. The arms 70 and 71 are movable along a spline shaft 47 in the horizontal direction integrally with the member 51 and are rotated by a cylinder 77 in a single piece with the spline shaft 47 over the range covering the rising position and sinking position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a work transfer device suitable for transferring a relatively heavy work such as an outfitting part to a vehicle body, for example, an engine part in a predetermined stroke.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a manufacturing process for engine parts and the like, in a factory facility for processing a heavy work such as a cylinder head by a processing machine such as a drill, it is an important issue how to transfer the work by what means. In particular, when performing various operations on multiple stages while conveying the work mainly in the horizontal direction in the limited space in the factory, obstacles such as processing machines existing in the middle of the work transfer path interfere with the work. The possibility arises. In such a case, in order to avoid interference between the work and an obstacle, the work is moved in a horizontal direction with the work raised to a predetermined height, and the work is lowered again when the work has passed the obstacle, The work is set on a predetermined stage (for example, a processing jig table) or the like.

As a current transfer device for realizing the above-mentioned functions, there is a transfer device using a rodless cylinder which can travel in a horizontal direction. The rodless cylinder includes a cylindrical guide shaft that extends straight in the horizontal direction, and a moving body that reciprocates along the guide shaft by fluid pressure such as compressed air. The work hand is configured to be mounted on the moving body and raised and lowered by a lifting drive mechanism. The transfer device equipped with this kind of rodless cylinder is
A thick guide shaft that can withstand the weight of the moving body can be used,
In addition, there is an advantage that the outer diameter of the moving body can be configured to be relatively small.

[0004]

However, in the case of using a rodless cylinder driven by a fluid pressure of compressed air or the like as a moving means of the transfer device as in the above-mentioned conventional device, an impact generated at the end of the moving stroke is not generated. big,
It causes various troubles. To alleviate this impact, it is necessary to use a large-scale shock absorber to stop the moving body, which increases the size and cost of the equipment. In addition, if the moving speed of the moving body is reduced, the impact is reduced. However, in this case, the time required for the movement is long, and the transport efficiency is low.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors considered driving a moving body by a ball screw mechanism. However, a driving member (hereinafter referred to as a lead) of a ball screw mechanism used for this kind of application has been considered. (Referred to as a screw) must be arranged in the horizontal direction. Therefore, if the weight of the moving body or the work is received only by the lead screw, the work will be The load may cause the lead screw to bend. If the lead screw bends even a little, severe rotation blur occurs at the time of high-speed rotation, and it becomes difficult to transport the moving body. In particular, when it is necessary to move a relatively large and heavy work such as an engine cylinder head horizontally in a region where various work stages exist over a long stroke, it is necessary to use a considerably long lead screw. Since the weight of the moving object is heavy, the above-described problem is conspicuous.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to raise a work to a height avoiding the obstacle when there is an obstacle such as a processing machine in the middle of a transport path when the work is fed in a horizontal direction. It is an object of the present invention to provide a work transfer device capable of moving a work smoothly and at a high speed in a horizontal direction.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A work transfer apparatus according to the present invention developed to achieve the above object transfers a work held at a work loading position and avoids an obstacle installed on a transfer path. In a work transfer device that transfers a work while holding the work again and transfers the work to a work unloading position, a rail laid on a base member;
A reciprocating moving body driven by driving means and reciprocating along the rail, a support member for movably supporting the reciprocating body on the rail, and a work holding means provided on the reciprocating moving body and holding the work; A holding means rotating mechanism for rotating the work holding means, and when the work is transported from one end of the rail to the other end, the holding means rotating mechanism is operated to move the work in the work transfer path. It is characterized by avoiding obstacles.

The driving means of the reciprocating moving body is, for example, a servomotor controlled so that the moving speed is reduced immediately before the reciprocating moving body reaches the end of the moving stroke, and the actuator of the holding means rotating mechanism is For example, it is a fluid pressure cylinder that is controlled so that the rotation speed is reduced immediately before the holding means reaches the lowered position and the upright position.

In the transfer device of the present invention, the work is first held by the work holding means at a first position (work loading position) on the transfer start end side. Then, the work holding means is raised to the standing position by the holding means rotating mechanism, and the work is raised to a predetermined height, so that an obstacle existing in the middle of the transport path can be avoided. In addition, when the driving member (for example, the lead screw of the ball screw mechanism) is rotated by the motor, the reciprocating moving body advances, and the work passes through the obstacle (second position).
), The driving member stops and the reciprocating movable body stops.

Next, the work holding means is lowered by the holding means rotating mechanism for rotating the work holding means, whereby the work returns to the lowered position. After the work is processed by the processing machine or the like at this position, the work holding means rises again to the standing position, the reciprocating movable body returns to the first position, and the holding means rotating mechanism lowers the work holding means. Let it.

The reciprocating body of the present invention includes a support member such as a cam follower that rolls on a rail laid above a base member such as a bridge structure, and the reciprocating body moves forward or backward by rotation of a driving member. In doing so, the weight of the reciprocating moving body and the work is supported by the highly rigid base member over the entire length of the moving stroke. For this reason, even if a lead screw or the like having a relatively small diameter is used, bending of the lead screw or the like is avoided, and occurrence of vibration or the like is avoided even when the lead screw or the like is rotated at high speed to increase the transport speed. The reciprocating body can be moved smoothly.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The work transfer device 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 moves a work W such as an engine part of an automobile (for example, a cylinder head) from a first position P1 on the left side in FIG. It has the function of transporting in the direction of the second position P2.

At the first position (work loading position) P1, another transfer device such as a lifter (not shown) is provided to supply the work W to be processed to the first position P1. The processing jig table 12 is provided at the second position P2, and the work W conveyed to the processing jig table 12 is subjected to desired processing such as machining by the processing machine 13. A part 13a of the processing machine 13, which is an example of an obstacle, is present in the middle of the transport path from the first position P1 to the second position P2. On the side of the processing jig table 12, a processing head 13b provided with a rotary tool such as a drill is provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the transfer device 10 is installed on a floor 15 of a factory. A work space (pit 16) is formed below the transfer device 10 so that cutting oil, cleaning liquid, waste water, or the like discharged from the processing machine 13 during work processing can be discharged to the pit 16.

The transfer device 10 has bases 20 and 21 fixed to the floor 15. The bases 20 and 21 are installed on both sides of the upper part of the pit 16, and a bridge structure 23 is provided so as to straddle the pit 16. A bridge structure 23 as an example of a base member is disposed in a horizontal direction, and both ends thereof are supported by support portions 26 and 27 provided on bases 20 and 21. These support portions 26 and 27 are opposed to each other in the horizontal direction.

A beam member 30 extending horizontally is provided on the bridge structure 23. The beam member 30 is fixed to a plurality of brackets 32 fixed to the bridge structure 23 with bolts 33, and the bridge structure 2
The height can be adjusted by adjusting bolts 34 provided at a plurality of positions provided at 3. A rail 35 extending horizontally along the upper surface of the bridge structure 23 is provided.

In FIG. 1, a support member 40 is provided above the left base 20 and a support member 41 is also provided above the right base 21.
A guide rod 44 extending in the horizontal direction, a lead screw 46 as a driving member constituting the ball screw mechanism 45, and a spline shaft 47 functioning as a rotating member are provided in parallel between the support members 40 and 41. I have.

The ball screw mechanism 45 includes a lead screw 4
6, the nut member 50 is screwed into the nut member 50 according to the rotation direction and the amount of rotation of the lead screw 46.
Are screwed in the axial direction of the lead screw 46. A reciprocating body 51 is provided on the nut member 50, and a cam follower 52 functioning as a support member is provided below the reciprocating body 51. Cam follower 5
2 rolls on the upper surface of the rail 35.

The lead screw 46 has a servomotor 55
Can be rotated at a desired rotation speed. The speed of the servo motor 55 is controlled by the controller 56, and when the reciprocating moving body 51 reaches just before the end of the moving stroke, the rotation speed is reduced to stop at a predetermined end position. The lead screw 46 is covered with a bellows-shaped dust cover (not shown) for covering from the dust and the like. The ball screw mechanism 45, the motor 55, and the like constitute driving means.

The spline shaft 47 has a ridge 60 (shown in FIG. 4 and the like) along the axial direction. Spline shaft 4
An arm base 61 is fitted on the outer periphery of the arm 7. A plurality of balls (not shown) in contact with both side surfaces of the ridge 60 are accommodated in the arm base 61.
Can freely move in the axial direction of the spline shaft 47, and when the spline shaft 47 rotates, the arm base 61 can rotate around the axis integrally with the spline shaft 47 with respect to the reciprocating moving body 51. So that they are engaged.

A pair of right and left arms 7 is provided on the arm base 61.
0, 71 are provided. The arm 70 located on the left side in FIG. 1 is for carrying in, and the arm 7 located on the right side is
1 is for carrying out. At the tip of each arm 70, 71,
Work hands 72, 73 functioning as work holding means
Is provided.

The arms 70 and 71 can be reciprocated in an angle range of about 90 ° from the lowered position shown by the solid line in FIG. 4 to the upright position shown by the two-dot chain line by the holding means rotating mechanism. It has become. FIG. 5 shows an example of an arm turning mechanism 75 as an example of the holding means turning mechanism. The arm turning mechanism 75 turns the spline shaft 47 in a desired angle range, and has a fluid pressure cylinder 77 functioning as a turning actuator.

The cylinder 77 has a rod portion 78 protruding upward, and the rod portion 78 is raised at the rising end (FIG. 5) by the fluid pressure of the hydraulic fluid or the like flowing into the cylinder 77.
To the height indicated by the solid line).
When the spline shaft 47 rotates counterclockwise through the arm, the arms 70 and 71 fall down to the lowered position. When the rod 78 is contracted to the lower end (the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 5), the arms 70 and 71 move to the upright position as the spline shaft 47 rotates clockwise. In the case of this embodiment, the arms 70, 71
A shock absorber 80 for receiving the arms 70 and 71 when the arm rotates to the lowered position;
A shock absorber 81 is provided for receiving the arms 70 and 71 when the pivot 1 is rotated to the standing position.

Next, the operation of the transport device 10 having the above configuration will be described. When the work W is transferred from the first position P1 to the second position P2 by the transfer device 10, the work W supplied to the first position P1 by another transfer device such as a lifter is transferred to the work arm 70 of the loading arm 70. 72, and arms 70, 71 by an arm rotating mechanism 75.
Is raised to the standing position. By doing so, the work W rises to a predetermined height, and a state in which a part 13a of the processing machine 13 existing in the middle of the transport path and the like can be prevented from interfering with the work W.

With the arms 70 and 71 raised as described above, the servomotor 55 is driven, and the lead screw 4
6 rotates in the first direction so that the reciprocating moving body 51
Moves forward. And the work W is a part 13a of the processing machine 13.
When the carrying arm 70 reaches the second position P2, the servomotor 55 stops, and the reciprocating body 51 stops. Further, the rod portion 78 of the cylinder 77 of the arm rotating mechanism 75 moves to the extension side,
When the arms 70 and 71 are rotated down, the work W
Is lowered to a predetermined lowering position and transferred to the processing jig table 12. The work W is processed by the processing machine 13 at this position.

After the work W set at the second position P2 is released from the work hand 72, the servomotor 55 rotates in the second direction, and the lead screw 4
By the reverse rotation of 6, the reciprocating body 51 moves backward to the first position (FIG. 1). Even in this backward movement, the arms 70 and 71 are raised by the arm rotating mechanism 75 in the same manner as in the forward movement in order to prevent the arm 70 from interfering with the part 13a of the processing machine 13, and
Has passed the part 13a of the processing machine and
0,71 is lowered. The work W processed at the second position P2 is held by the unloading work hand 73.

Then, a new work W is supplied to the first position P1, and the work W is moved to the first position P1 in the same manner as described above.
To the second position P2. Accordingly, the processed work W held by the unloading work hand 73 at the second position P2 is transported from the second position P2 to a third position P3 (work unloading position).

The servo motor 55 of the ball screw mechanism 45 of the above embodiment is speed-controlled so that when the reciprocating moving body 51 moves forward and backward, the moving speed becomes short immediately before the end of a predetermined moving stroke. By doing so, the impact when the reciprocating moving body 51 reaches the end of movement can be reduced, and the moving speed can be increased except at the end of the moving stroke. The cylinder 77, which functions as an actuator of the arm rotation mechanism 75, is configured so that the rotation speed of the arms 70, 71 is reduced immediately before the arms 70, 71 reach the standing position and immediately before the arms 70, 71 reach the descending position.
7 is controlled. By doing this,
It is possible to effectively suppress the occurrence of impact at the end of rotation of the arms 70 and 71.

In the work transfer device 10 having the above structure, the cam follower 52 of the reciprocating moving member 51 which moves by the rotation of the ball screw mechanism 45 rolls on the rail 35 via the beam member 30 installed on the bridge structure 23. Thereby, the bridge structure 23 having high rigidity supports the weight of the reciprocating moving body 51 and the work W over the entire length of the moving range. Therefore, even if the lead screw 46 having a relatively small diameter is used, the bending of the lead screw 46 is avoided, and even if the lead screw 46 is rotated at a high speed in order to increase the transport speed, trouble factors such as vibration can be eliminated. The body 51 can be moved smoothly.

[0030]

According to the present invention, when a work is conveyed in the horizontal direction, the work is raised to a predetermined height in order to avoid interference with an obstacle such as a processing machine existing in the middle of the transfer path. In addition, by controlling the rotation speed of a motor that rotates a driving member such as a lead screw, the work can be smoothly and horizontally conveyed at a high speed. In this case, the actuator of the arm rotating mechanism can be arranged near the end of the rotating member such as the spline shaft, and the layout of the device is easy. In addition, even if the weight of the work or the reciprocating body is heavy, the load can be supported by a rigid bridge structure via a supporting member such as a cam follower, and the driving member can be prevented from being bent in the middle of the transport path. Even when the members are rotated at high speed, no rotational shake occurs, and the above-mentioned support members and rails make it possible to smoothly move in the horizontal direction, so that the transport efficiency is improved and the cycle time is shortened. It has a great effect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a work transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the work transfer device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view showing one mode of operation of the work transfer device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side view showing an arm rotating mechanism of the work transfer device shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Work conveyance apparatus 13 ... Processing machine 20, 21 ... Base 23 ... Bridge structure (base member) 35 ... Rail 45 ... Ball screw mechanism 46 ... Lead screw (drive member) 47 ... Spline shaft (rotation member) 50 ... Nut member 51 reciprocating moving body 52 cam follower (supporting member) 55 servo motor 61 arm base 70, 71 arm 72, 73 work hand (work holding means) 75 arm rotating mechanism (holding means rotating mechanism) 77 … Fluid pressure cylinder (actuator)

Claims (2)

[Claims] A work transfer for transferring a work held at a work loading position, transferring the work while avoiding an obstacle installed on a transfer path, holding the work again, and transferring the work to a work unloading position. In the apparatus, a rail laid on a base member, a reciprocating body driven by driving means and reciprocating along the rail, a support member for movably supporting the reciprocating body on the rail, A work holding means provided to hold the work, and a holding means rotating mechanism for rotating the work holding means, wherein the work is transported from one end of the rail toward the other end. A work transfer device characterized by operating a holding means rotating mechanism to avoid an obstacle in a work transfer path. 2. The driving means for the reciprocating moving body is a servomotor controlled so that the moving speed is reduced immediately before the reciprocating moving body reaches the end of a moving stroke, and an actuator of the holding means rotating mechanism. 2. The work transfer device according to claim 1, wherein a hydraulic cylinder is controlled so that the rotation speed is reduced immediately before the holding means reaches the lowered position and the standing position.