JPS5997863A - Handling device for material - 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 is a material handling device for sequentially conveying a large number of workpieces in an automatic machine such as an automatic processing machine, an automatic assembly machine, and an automatic inspection machine. This invention relates to a material handling device that reciprocates in the direction of a rotation axis.

Conventionally, this type of material non-linking device grips a workpiece using a chuck means on a parts supply station, lifts the workpiece, rotates it at a certain angle in a horizontal plane, and stops it on a parts receiving station. After descending, it is unchucked and the workpiece is released (this is the actual operating stroke). After releasing the workpiece, the chuck means ascends, rotates by a certain angle in the opposite direction to the previous time, returns to the parts supply station, and descends to complete one cycle (the above is an idle stroke).

Of the vertical movement and reciprocating rotation in the above operation, one way is an actual stroke and one way is an idle stroke.

Thus, the actual stroke rate of material handling for conventional automatic machines is 50%, and the remaining 50% is idle stroke.

Therefore, the idle time rate is 50%.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a material handling device that does not have idle time during its working hours.

In order to achieve the above object, the device of the present invention has a main shaft, where n is a positive integer of 2 or more, which makes a reciprocating rotation of 360/n and a reciprocating motion in the axial direction, and a main shaft that rotates at an equal angle with respect to the main shaft. By providing n chuck means installed radially and n stations installed at equal intervals on the circumference around the spindle, an idle step is added to each stroke of the reciprocating rotation of the spindle. It is characterized by eliminating the idle time rate by configuring it so that it does not occur.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. In this embodiment, the number n is set to 4, and material handling is performed between 4 stations, ie, one supply station, two processing stations, and one unloading station, without any idle time. FIG. 1 is a plan view, and FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a main shaft supported vertically so as to be rotatable, and a turntable 2 is fixed to the upper end of the main shaft and supported horizontally. , 3 is an oscillating motor, which rotates the main shaft l by 360' via gear means 3a.
/n (90° in this embodiment) reciprocating rotational drive. Reference numeral 4 denotes an upper and lower cylinder which reciprocates the main shaft 1 up and down by air force via the main shaft bearing 1a. This moves the turntable 2 up and down.

Four chuck jaws 5°6.7 on the above turntable 2
．． 8 are attached radially so as to form an intersecting angle of 90° with each other.

Four stations, ie, a supply station 9, processing stations 10 and 12, and a discharge station 11, are installed at intervals on a circumference centered on the main shaft 1. As a result, from the spindle 1 to each station 9, 1
The angles looking into 0, 11, and 12 are each 90 degrees.

Therefore, when the main shaft 1 is reciprocated by 90 degrees, each of the four chuck jaws 5, 6, 7, 8 makes a 90' swing-like rotation, and as a result, each chuck jaw is rotated by 90 degrees. Shuttle between stations.

As mentioned above, the main shaft 1 has a structure in which it can be moved up and down by the vertical cylinder 4, so the main shaft 1, which supports the four chuck jaws, is moved upward through the turntable 2.
When repeating the cycle of 0'90' clockwise rotation) → lowering → rising → 90° rotation (counterclockwise rotation) → lowering, chuck jaw 5 is between stations 9 and 10, and chuck jaw 6 is between stations 10 and 11. Between the chuck jaws 7
is between stations 11 and 12, and the chuck claw 8 is able to transport the workpiece between stations 12 and 9 by chucking → moving → unchucking the workpiece, respectively.

A method of using the material handling apparatus constructed as described above will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8.

For convenience of explanation, the initial positions of the four chuck jaws are drawn with solid lines, and the state where they have been turned clockwise 90 times is drawn with chain lines. 9. A large number of workpieces that are sequentially transported and processed are designated by symbols A, B, and C to distinguish them. In this embodiment, the machining stations 10 and 12 have the same function, and the workpieces A, B, C, etc. placed on the assembly line in alphabetical order are placed at the machining station 10 or 12. The structure is such that the containers are sequentially transported through one of the 12 channels.

FIG. 3 to FIG. 6 show a transition period from when the material handling device of this embodiment starts operating until it enters a steady state.

In FIG. 3, the chuck jaws 5 receive and grip the workpiece A from the supply station 9. 'Turn the turntable 2 clockwise 90' as shown in Figure 4. Accordingly, the four chuck jaws 5.degree.6.7.8 are also rotated by 90.degree. to face the adjacent station in the clockwise rotation direction. During this clockwise rotation, the chuck jaw 5 that grips the workpiece A moves the workpiece A to the machining station 1 as shown by arrow A.
0 and delivered to the station 10. While the chuck jaw 5 is transferring the workpiece A, the chuck jaw 8
receives the next work B from the supply station 9.

Next, when the turntable 2 is rotated 90 degrees clockwise as shown in Fig.
Opposite the same station as in Figure). During this rotation, the chuck claw 8 conveys the work B to the processing station 12 as indicated by the arrow and delivers it to the processing station 12. While the chuck jaws 8 are transferring, the chuck jaws 5 which have returned to the supply station 9 pick up the next work C, and the chuck jaws 6 pick up the machined work A from the processing station 10.

When the turntable 2 is rotated clockwise again as shown in FIG. 6, the chuck claws 5 transport the workpiece C to the processing station 10. This operation is similar to arrow A in FIG. However, unlike the case in Figure 4, the
In the case of the figure, at the same time as the above operation, the chuck jaw 6 transports the workpiece A that is being picked up at the machining station 10 to the unloading station 11 as shown by the arrow C and discharges it.

Now, the leading workpiece A has passed through the machining station 10 and reached the unloading station 11, and the four chuck jaws and the four stations are each facing one workpiece.

When the turntable 2 is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise and 90 degrees clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 6 above, as shown in FIGS. and conveyance in the directions of arrows A and C are performed alternately, and the workpiece A
, B, C, . . . are alternately delivered to the unloading station 11 via the processing station 10 or 12. Thereafter, by alternately and continuously repeating the counterclockwise rotation operation shown in FIG. 7 and the clockwise rotation operation shown in FIG. 8, the workpiece is handled without idle time for each stroke.

In the above embodiment, the number of chuck jaws is 4, and the circumference is 4.
Although the stations were installed by dividing the circumference into equal parts, when implementing the present invention, the number of chuck claws is set to n, and the stations can be installed by dividing the circumference into n equal parts. However, n is 2 or a positive integer of 2 or more.

In the embodiment described above, the main shaft 1 is supported vertically and the stations are installed on the same horizontal plane, but the main shaft can also be supported horizontally or inclined.

In case a, each station is arranged in alignment with a plane orthogonal to the main axis.

In the above embodiment, two processing stations were installed in addition to the supply station and the unloading station, but when implementing the present invention, various stations such as an inspection station and an assembly station may be arbitrarily selected and installed. You can also do it.

As detailed above, the present invention is based on 360? A main shaft that performs reciprocating rotation of /rt and reciprocating motion in the axial direction, n chuck means installed radially at equal angles to the main shaft, and arranged at equal intervals on the circumference around the main shaft. By providing n stations, an excellent practical effect can be obtained in that the chuck means is rotated back and forth to sequentially convey a large number of workpieces, and no idle time occurs during rotation in any direction. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 1 being a plan view and FIG.
The figure is a vertical sectional view, and FIGS. 3 to 8 are plan views for explaining the operation. 1... Main shaft, 1 &... Main shaft bearings, 2... Turntable, 3... Oscillating power machine, 3m... Gear means, 4
... Upper and lower cylinders, 5, 6.7.8... Chuck jaws, 9... Supply station, 10, 12... Processing station, 11... Unloading station, A, B-
F...Work. 363 Figure 3 Figure 4 364- Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8

Claims (1)

[Claims] A main shaft that performs reciprocating rotation of 360°/(where n is an integer of 2 or more) and reciprocating motion in the axial direction, one chuck means mounted radially at equal angles to the main shaft, and n stations arranged at equal intervals on the circumference of the main shaft so that no idle time occurs during the reciprocating rotation of the main shaft in either direction. handling equipment.