JPS5914487A - Custody base of gripper - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a storage stand for a gripper that is detachably attached to a robot, loader, etc. and grips a workpiece.

The applicant has proposed a conveying device as described below. That is, one each of a workpiece carrying-in means, a workpiece processing means, and a workpiece carrying-out means are provided, and a plurality of gripper-storage stands are provided, and each gripper-storage stand is provided with a gripper for gripping a different type of workpiece. One of these grippers can be selectively and removably attached to the tip of an industrial robot's arm. This device attaches a gripper corresponding to the type of workpiece to the robot arm, and operates the robot based on a program to grip the workpiece on the workpiece loading means with the gripper and then transfer it to the workpiece processing means. The workpiece is brought in, processed, and then transported to a workpiece delivery means. In addition, when there is a change in the type of workpiece that is flowing, transfer the old gripper to the gripper storage stand, and then transfer the gripper that corresponds to the incoming workpiece from the gripper storage stand to the receiver. Remove the gripper and replace it. □The gripper of such a conveyance device is generally placed on the flat surface of a storage table during storage, but the center of gravity of the gripper may vary depending on the layout of the factory and the operating range of the robot. If the pigeon house is largely offset from the part that engages with the mounting surface of the grisover, the gripper will be tilted. Thus, if the gripper is tilted during storage, it will not be possible to attach the gripper to the arm of the robot. For this reason, a gripper storage stand suitable for storing the above-mentioned grippers has been desired.

This invention was made in view of the above points, and the gripper
A mount having a mounting surface on which the gripper is placed, claws provided on both sides of the mounting surface, and a gripper that can be opened and closed by opening and closing the claws.
It is an object of the present invention to satisfy the above-mentioned needs by providing an opening/closing means for positioning and fixing the device on the frame.

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. In FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, reference numeral 1 indicates a gripper storage stand, and a plurality of these storage stands 1 (only one is shown in FIG. 1) are installed on the floor 2. ing.

Each storage stand 1 has a frame 3, and two pairs of brackets 4 are fixed on the upper surface of the frame 3, as shown in detail in FIG. 2.3. Both ends of a pair of guide rods 50 extending in the front-rear direction are fixed to these brackets 4.
A slide block 6 is slidably supported on each guide rod 5. A beam 7 perpendicular to the guide rod 5 is fixed to the upper end of the slide block 6, and mounting plates 8 are attached to both ends of the beam 7, respectively.

Guide protrusions 9 and IO projecting upward are formed at the front and rear ends of the upper surface of each mounting plate 18, and the upper surface of each mounting plate 8 between these guide protrusions 9 and 10 is flat. It becomes a horizontal mounting surface■. The aforementioned slide block 6
, the beam 7, and the mounting plate 8 as a whole, the movable receiver 1
2. Compression springs 13 and 14 are provided around the guide rod 5 between the frame 3 and the movable receiver 12, that is, between the bracket 4 and the slide block 6, for biasing the movable receiver 12 in opposite directions. These compression springs 13, 14 keep the movable receiver 12 in a neutral position. The aforementioned guide rod 5, slide block 6, compression spring 13.14
As a whole, the movable receiver 12 is displaceably supported with respect to the frame 3, and constitutes an equalizing means 15 that holds the movable receiver 12 in a neutral position. In addition, the frame 3, the movable receiver 12, and the equalizing means 1 described above are also included.
5 constitutes a frame 16 as a whole. Each mounting plate 8
A double-acting vertical cylinder 17 is fixed to the outer surface of each cylinder 17, and a T-shaped bracket 19 is fixed to the tip of the piston rod 18 of each cylinder 17. 20.21 is a link whose base end is rotatably connected to the bracket 19, and 22.23 is a link that is connected to each mounting surface 1.
These are substantially vertical claws that are installed on both front and rear sides of the mounting plate 1 and whose central portions are rotatably supported by the front and rear ends of the mounting plate 8. The lower ends of these claws 22.23 are rotatably connected to the tips of the links 20.21, and the upper ends of the claws 22.23 are connected to the storage surface 11.
It protrudes further upwards. The cylinder 17, bracket 19, and links 20, 21 described above collectively constitute an opening/closing means 24 for opening and closing the pawl 22 and the collar. As shown in FIG. 1, grippers 4 are placed on each storage table l, and each gripper 25 grips a different type of workpiece. Each gripper 25 has a flat plate 26, as shown in FIG. 4.5, and this plate 1-26 is placed on the mounting surface 11.

One end of gauge plates 27 and 4, which are generally dogleg-shaped and perpendicular to the plate 26, is fixed to both ends of the plate 26, and the other end of each gauge plate 27 and 4 is fixed to a workpiece. A cage surface 29,30 is formed. The rod side end of the cylinder 31 is rotatably supported at the other end of each gauge plate 27,28. 32
is a clamp pawl rotatably supported at the other end of each gauge plate 27, 28, and this clamp pawl 32 cooperates with the cage surface 29, 30 to grip the workpiece. The clamp claw 32 is rotatably connected to the tip of the piston rod 33 of the cylinder 31. Again, in FIG. 1, an industrial robot (not shown) is installed on the floor 2 behind the storage table 1 (to the right in FIG. 1), and the tip of the arm 34 of this industrial robot is The grille collar 25 is attached via an attachment/detachment mechanism 35 so that a film can be deposited thereon. This attachment/detachment mechanism 35 includes a grip plate 36, a cylinder 37 supported by the grip plate 36, and a grip plate 36.
a swing arm 38 rotatably supported by the cylinder 6 and connected to the tip of the piston rod 39 of the cylinder 37;
and a gripping block 40 fixed to the tip of the swing arm 3B, and the plate 26 of the gripper 25 is
By being held between the gripping plate 36 and the gripping block 40, it can be taken up by the arm 34.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be explained. First, the case where the gripper 25 is placed on the storage stand 1 will be described. In this case, the robot is first activated to transport the gripper 25 to a position directly above the storage table 1. Next, the green soba 25 is lowered to approach the mounting surface 11. At this time, in order to simplify the control of the robot (for example, r'oINT TOF'0INT), arm 3
The tip of No. 4 descends in a zigzag motion in the front-back direction. However, since the equalizing means 15 is provided between the frame 3 and the movable receiver 12, the movable receiver 12 escapes even if the plate 26 collides with the guide protrusion 9.10.
Almost no reaction force is transmitted to the robot.

The plate 26 of the gripper 25 is attached to the guide protrusion 9.
．． 10, passes between the claws 22 and 23, and is placed on the placement surface 11.

The cylinder 17 is then actuated to retract the piston rod 18 and close the pawls 22,23. As a result, the gripper
The plate 26 of 25 is firmly positioned and fixed to the movable receiver 12 by the mounting surface 11 and claws 22 and 23. Next, the cylinder 37 of the attachment/detachment mechanism 35 is activated and the swing arm 3
8 is rotated, and the gripping block 40 is separated from the plate 26 of the gripper 25. As a result, the grip of the arm 34 on the gripper 25 is released. Next, the robot is actuated and the arm 34 leaves the gripper 25. At this time, since the center of gravity G of the gripper 25 is largely offset backward from the plate 26 as shown in FIG. 1, the gripper 25 receives a clockwise moment in FIG. 1 due to its own weight F acting on the center of gravity. For this reason, the gripper 5 tries to rotate once around the rear end of the plate 26, but since it is positioned and fixed to the movable receiver 12 by the claws 22 and the claw, it does not rotate. Further, at this time, the movable receiver 12 returns to the neutral position due to the elastic force of the compression springs 13 and 14.

Next, a case will be described in which the gripper 25 stored in the storage stand 1 is attached to the arm 34 of the robot. In this case, the robot arm 34 to which the gripper 25 is not attached approaches the storage stand 1 first. At this time, since the movable receiver 12 is held at the neutral position, the gripper 25 on the movable receiver 12 is in a predetermined position. next,
The attachment/detachment mechanism 35 operates, and the grille collar 25 on the storage table 1 is removed.
The plate 26 is held between the grip plate 36 and the grip pro 40, and is positioned and fixed. Next, opening/closing means 2
The cylinder 17 of No. 4 is activated, the piston mouth/nod 18 protrudes, and the pawl 22 and the blade open. As a result, the storage table 1 releases the fixation of the gripper 5.

The gripper 5 attached to the arm 34 of the robot receives the workpiece from the workpiece loading means (not shown) by the operation of the robot, and then transfers it to the workpiece processing means (not shown) such as a spot welder. The workpiece is brought in and processed, then transferred to a workpiece transfer means (not shown), and the workpiece is released from the grip. This operation is repeated. In addition, when the type of workpiece is changed, after passing the gripper 25 to the storage stand 1 as described above, remove the gripper 25 corresponding to the workpiece from the storage stand 1, and then transfer the gripper 25 to the storage stand 1 as described above. Repeat the operation.

FIG. 6.7 shows a second embodiment of the invention. In the figure, 51 is a frame of the storage stand, and support plates I and 52 are provided on both end sides of the frame 51, respectively.
is fixed. And these support plates 52
The upper surfaces of each serve as a flat mounting surface 53. Two horizontal guide bars 55 are supported on the outer surface of each support plate 52 via brackets 54, and a pair of guide blocks 56 and 57 are slidably supported on these guide bars 55, respectively. . These guide blocks 56
．． A guide block 56 is provided between the bracket 57 and the bracket 54.
．． Compression springs 58, 59 are provided which bias the respective 57 towards each other. The frame 51, support plate 52, bracket 54, and guide bar 55 described above collectively constitute a pedestal 60. Reference numerals 61 and 62 denote claws provided on both front and rear sides of the mounting surface 53, and these claws 61 and 62 are respectively attached to guide blocks 56 and 57. Inwardly protruding protrusions 63,64 are formed on the inner surface of the upper end of the winter melon 61,62, and guide surfaces 65,66 that are inclined inwardly and downwardly are formed on the upper end of each protrusion 63,64. is formed. 67 is the claw 61.
The head side end surfaces of single-acting cylinders 68 and 69 are fixed to the front and back surfaces of each bracket 670, respectively. These cylinders 68, 69 piston rondo 0.
The tips of 71 are in contact with the inner surfaces of claws 61 and 62, respectively. The aforementioned compression spring 58.59 cylinder 68.
69 is an opening/closing means 72 for opening and closing the claws 61 and 62 as a whole.
Configure.

Such a storage stand operates as follows. That is, when placing the gripper 25 on the storage stand, the piston rods 70.71 of the cylinders 68.69 are retracted, and the plate 26 of the gripper 25 is moved to
．． It will be lowered from above between 62 and 62. At this time, plate 2
6 is guided by the guide surface 65.66 while the claw 61.6
2, push it open and make sure it goes between the claws 61 and 62. and,
When the plate 26 passes through the protrusion 63.64 and is placed on the placement surface 53, the claws 61.62 approach each other due to the elastic force of the compression spring 58.59, and the gripper 25
Position and fix. As a result, even if the center of gravity of the gripper 25 is large as described above, it will not fall over, and there will be no problem when the robot comes to pick up the gripper 25 later. On the other hand, such a gripper-25
When attaching the robot arm 34 to the robot arm 34, the piston door 0.
Make 71 stick out. As a result, the claws 61, 62 open apart from each other while compressing the compression springs 5B, 59.

When the gripper b is removed from the storage stand, the fluid supply to the cylinders 68, 69 is stopped and the piston rods 70, 71 are retracted. As a result, the claw 61
．． 62 is closed by the elastic force of the compression springs 58, 59, and returns to its original state. The second embodiment has a single-acting cylinder compared to the first embodiment, so the structure is simpler, and the number of input signals to the switching valve is reduced, making control easier. .

In the above-mentioned embodiment, a case was explained in which the gripper was detachably attached to the arm of the robot, but in the present invention, the gripper may be attached to a rod or the like.

As explained above, according to the present invention, there is provided a pedestal having a mounting surface on which the gripper is mounted, claws provided on both sides of the mounting surface, and a gripper that can be mounted on the mount by opening and closing the claws. It is equipped with an opening/closing means for positioning and fixing the
Even if the center of gravity of the gripper is large (offset) from the mounting area due to factors such as factory layout, the gripper can be reliably held in a constant posture.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a first embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the main part of the first embodiment, Fig. 3 is a view taken from arrow 11 in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a side view of the gripper, and Fig. 5 is an arrow V-■ in Fig. 4. FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view of a main part showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a view taken along the line -■ in FIG. 6. 11.53---1 mounting surface, 16.60---~ mount, 22.23.61.62---1----claw, 24.72-
-1 opening/closing means, 25--Gripper-1 34--Robot arm.

Claims (1)

[Claims] , a storage stand for a gripper that is removably attached to a robot, loader, etc. and grips a workpiece, the stand having a mounting surface on which the gripper is placed, and claws provided on both sides of the mounting surface. and an opening/closing means for positioning and fixing the gripper on the stand by opening and closing the claws.