JPS6076928A - Automatic work feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit a plurality of works arranged in one direction to be supplied at a same time by permitting the direction of a plurality of works such as stud bolts to be automatically discriminated, in an automatic assembly line for car engines. CONSTITUTION:An automatic work feeder is constituted of a work-position arranging mechanism 19 and a work feeding mechanism 20. A work top-edge discriminating part 24 is installed onto a guide ring 21 shifted by nearly 90 deg. from a work carrying-in part 22, and an air cylinder 26 equipped with a work pushing rod 25 is installed onto the ring 21 positioned symmetrically to the discrimination part 24. A work carrying-out part 32 constituted of a through-hole is formed onto the ring 21, and a transportation rod 34 is installed in free insertion into an insertion hole 33. Stopper mechanisms 41a and 41b are arranged between a guide pipe 40 and a rotary cylinder. With such constitution, a plurality of works arranged in one direction can be supplied at a same time.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Is this invention an example of Sudad? This invention relates to an automatic workpiece supply device that determines the direction of a workpiece such as a bolt, aligns the directionality, and automatically supplies the workpiece.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

In an automatic assembly line for automobile engines, when stud bolts are automatically supplied from a parts feeder and chucked one by one or multiple bolts at a time into the chuck of the bolt tightening device, the direction of the stud build is used. It is necessary to align the genders.

Therefore, in the past, stud builds were stored in the parts feeder in advance with their orientation aligned, and the parts were fed sequentially, but this time.

Due to automation, bolts are shaped like rods with screws at both ends, making it difficult to visually determine their direction.

Furthermore, even if the stud builds have the same orientation, if the stud builds are short in length, they may turn over during transportation.

[Purpose of the invention]

This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to automatically determine the direction of multiple workpieces such as stud-built workpieces, align them in one direction, and feed multiple workpieces at the same time. The aim is to provide an automatic workpiece feeding device that can.

[Summary of the Invention] The present invention includes a workpiece positioning mechanism that determines the leading end of a workpiece to be carried in by a workpiece front end determination section, changes the direction based on the determination result, and transports the workpiece, and The present invention consists of a work supply mechanism that accepts workpieces, aligns the direction of the workpieces, and simultaneously supplies the workpieces, thereby making it possible to automatically align and feed randomly delivered workpieces. .

[Embodiments of the invention]

The present invention will be described below based on an embodiment shown in the drawings. 1 and 2 show a work supply device. J is an i4-tsu feeder, 2 is a first hopper feeder, and 3 is a second hopper feeder. The i4-feeder 1 is composed of a beer feeder that feeds the workpiece by vibration, and has a length ff as shown in Figure 3.
A workpiece 4a such as a strong stud bolt is supplied. A linear feeder 6 is provided in the unloading section 5 of the parts feeder 1.
An extrusion mechanism 9 for laterally extruding the discharged workpiece 4a and supplying it to the conveyance path 8 is provided at the exit portion 7 of the conveyance path 8.

Also, a first feeder is provided on the opposite side of the feeder I across the conveyance path 8. The second hole/42° 3 is adapted to supply a workpiece 4b such as a long stud built piece, as shown in FIG. 3). This first. second hopper 42, 314. 'ffJ-structure, so to explain only one of them, 10 is a large number of works 4
It is a container that stores b... on its side. This container 10
An exit port 11 is provided at the upper end of the transport port 11, and the exit port 11 is communicated with the transport path 8 via a chute 12.

Furthermore, a protruding mechanism 13 is provided at the bottom of the container 10, and is configured to push up the works 4b in the container 10 from below and guide them one by one to the outlet 11.

The conveyance path 8 is still V-shaped, and a vibration generator 14 for conveying the works 4a..., 4b... in the direction of the arrow is provided at the bottom thereof.

Moreover, the above-mentioned works 4a and 4b are -4-+
m'A-I+ ++ 1-1+i/, t, r,
In addition, a chamfered portion 16 is formed at the tip. therefore,
These works 4a.

Although the chamfered portion 16 side of the workpiece 4b has a directionality as a leading end, the directionality of the works 4a and 4b conveyed through the conveyance path 8 remains uneven.

Furthermore, a downwardly inclined falling shoe 77 is provided at the tip of the conveyance path 8, and this falling shoe 17 is connected to an automatic work supply device 18.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, this automatic work supply device J8 is composed of a work alignment mechanism 19 and a work supply mechanism 20. First, the workpiece alignment mechanism 19 will be explained. 21 is idling. The guide ring 21 has an inner diameter slightly larger than the length of the workpiece 4b, and is configured so that the workpieces 4a and 4b can rotate within the guide ring 21. A part of the guide ring 2 is provided with a workpiece loading section 22 consisting of a through hole that communicates with the dropping chute 12, and the guide ring 21 located symmetrically with this is provided with a workpiece loading section 22 for carrying the works 4a and 4b. A switch 23 (for example, a proximity switch) is attached to detect the end face. The straight line 1jl connecting the workpiece loading section 22 and the switch 23 is inclined at approximately 30 degrees with respect to the horizontal line. Also, approximately 90 meters from the workpiece loading section 22
The biased guide ring 21 is provided with a workpiece tip discriminating part 24, and the guide ring 21 located symmetrically with this part is provided with an air cylinder 26 having a rod 25 for pressing the workpiece. The straight line 2 connecting the workpiece tip discriminating section 24 and the workpiece pressing rod 25 is offset by approximately 90 degrees with respect to the straight line ls.゛The workpiece tip discriminator 24 also includes a bushing 28 inserted into the mounting hole 27 of the guide ring 21, and a bushing 28 that is inserted into the mounting hole 27 of the guide ring 21.
A detector 30 is inserted into the through hole 28a so as to be freely retractable and is biased by the compression spring 29 so that the tip 30a is flush with the inner peripheral surface of the guide ring 21, and the detector 30 faces the end 30b of the detector 30. It is comprised of a switch 31 that is turned on when the detector 3o is immersed against force.

The diameter of the through hole 28a of the pusher 28 is smaller than the diameter of the workpieces 4a and 4b, and the chamfered portion 1 at the tip thereof is smaller than the diameter of the workpieces 4a and 4b.
Work 4a is also formed thicker than 6.

The chamfered portion 16 of the detector 30 faces the tip 30a of the detector 30, and the detector 30 is recessed when further pressed. Further, a workpiece unloading section 32 consisting of a through hole is bored in the guide ring 21, and an insertion hole 33 is bored in the guide ring 2 facing this. Then, this workpiece unloading section 32 and the guide ring 2I
A straight line 13 connecting these lines is located on the horizontal line. Further, a conveying rod 34 is removably provided in the insertion hole 33,
This base end is connected to the conveying cylinder 36 via the bracket 35.
The piston 37 is connected to the piston 37.

A rotating shaft 38 is provided at the center of the guide ring 21 configured in this way, one end of which is connected to a rotating cylinder 39 serving as a rotational drive mechanism, and the other end is rotatably supported by a bearing.

A guide pipe 40 is attached to this rotating shaft 38 and is perpendicular to this axial direction. The guide ring 40 has an inner diameter through which the works 4m and 4b can be freely inserted, and its openings at both ends are close to the inner circumferential surface of the guide ring 21, and are oriented in forward and reverse directions by rotation of the rotating shaft 38. It is now possible to turn around. In addition, Guide Tsuquib 4
0 and the rotating cylinder 39 is a stopper mechanism 41g,
41b is provided. This stopper mechanism 41a, 4
1b is fitted onto the rotating shaft 38 and has a plurality of notches 4 on the outer peripheral edge.
2g and 42b, an engaging element 44 facing the outer circumferential edge of the rotating disk 43, and a cylinder 45 for projecting and retracting the engaging element 44. Then, the engager 44 is selectively engaged with the notches 42, 42,
The guide tube 40 is stopped at a predetermined position via the rotating shaft 38. And one stopper 4
The guide pipe 40 is positioned at 11 when the engager 44 of the other stopper 41b engages with the notch 42a, and the guide pipe 40 is positioned at 12 when the engager 44 of the other stopper 41b engages with the notch 42b. It looks like this. Further, when the guide pipe 40 is rotated forward or reversed and positioned in the direction 13, the rotating cylinder 3
The position is determined by a stopper (not shown) built in 9. A rotation angle detection plate 46 is fitted to the end of the rotation shaft 38, which is connected to four microswitches 4.
7... is opposed to the rotation angle detection mechanism 48.

The rotating cylinder 39 is controlled by electrically detecting the rotation angle of the rotating shaft 38.

Next, the work supply mechanism 20 will be explained.
50 is a guide ring, which is the workpiece alignment mechanism 19 mentioned above.
The guide ring 21 is formed to have a slightly larger inner diameter. This guide ring 50 is provided with a workpiece loading section 51 consisting of a through hole that faces the workpiece loading section 32 . Furthermore, two workpiece unloading parts 52a and 52b consisting of through holes are bored in the upper part of the guide ring 50.
Two insertion holes 53* and 53b are provided in the lower part of the guide ring 50 facing this. The guide ring 5 faces the workpiece unloading sections 52a and 52b.
A slider 54 is provided on the top surface of 0 so as to be slidable in the left and right directions, and this
driven by. This slider 54 has a large diameter hole 56.
and a pair of small diameter holes 57 are drilled, and the workpiece 4 a +
A large diameter hole 56 and a small diameter hole 57 are formed in the workpiece unloading section 52a in accordance with the diameter of 4b.

52bK is selectively opposed.

Further, the insertion holes 53a and 53b are formed in a movable plate 58 that is movable in the width direction of the guide ring 50, and is driven by a cylinder 59.

By the movement of this moving plate 58, the insertion hole 53a,
53b can be retracted from the center of the guide ring 50 in the width direction as necessary. Plus a guide.

An air cylinder 60 is provided at the bottom of the ring 50,
This air cylinder 60 has two push-up rods 61.
, 61 are attached.

This push-up rod 61.61 is inserted into the insertion hole 5.
3a and 53b, the workpiece 4 is
h and 4b are pushed up to protrude from the workpiece unloading sections 52a and 52b.

A rotary shaft 62 is pivotally supported at the center of the guide ring 5o configured in this way, and is provided with a rotary cylinder 63, a stopper mechanism 64, and a rotation angle detection mechanism 65 similarly to the workpiece alignment mechanism 19 described above. It is being Further, two guide pipes 67a and 67b are attached to the rotating shaft 62 via a bracket 66, and these can be turned in the forward and reverse directions within the guide ring 5o by rotation of the rotating shaft 62. . These two guide pipes 67a and 67b are kept parallel to each other with an interval between them at the workpiece unloading section 52a.

52b and the spacing between the insertion holes 53a and 53b.

In addition, 68 is a robot chuck, which is
A mouth movable in the θ direction is attached to the cut head, and is configured to chuck the works 4a and 4b carried out from the work supply mechanism 20 and convey them to the sudad tightening device.

Next, the operation of the work supply device configured as described above will be explained. For convenience of explanation, when the long workpieces 4b shown in FIG. 3(B) are aligned in the same direction and two pieces are fed at the same time, the workpieces 4b... are fed from the first hopper 2. . That is, the workpieces 4b... stored in the container 10 of the first hopper 2 are pushed up by the ejection mechanism 13, and the workpieces 4b... are pushed up by the ejection port 1.
It is carried out from 1. Then, the works 4b... roll on the chute 12 and fall into the conveyance path 8.

The workpieces 4b . At this time, the guide guide 40 in the guide ring 21 is inserted into the stopper mechanism 4.
The straight line 11 is caused by the engagement between the notch 42 of 1 and the engaging element 44.
It is located in Therefore, first, work 4 at the front
b is inserted through the workpiece loading section 22 and slid into the guide pipe 40 by its own weight.

When the front end of the workpiece 4b collides with the inner surface of the guide ring 2, the switch 23 detects that the workpiece 4b has been inserted into the guide guide 4θ. switch 2
The output signal of the rotary cylinder 39. When input to the stopper mechanism 4, the engager 44 first comes off from the notch 42, and the rotating cylinder 39 is activated. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the rotating shaft 38 is rotated approximately 90 degrees counterclockwise, the engager 44 engages with the notch 42 again, and the guide pipe 4o is rotated and positioned on the straight line 12. Therefore, the front end of the workpiece 4b within the guide pipe 4o faces the workpiece tip discriminator 24, and the rear end faces the workpiece pressing rod 25. Here, when the rod 25 is pushed into the guide pipe 4o by the air cylinder 26, the front end of the work 4b is pressed against the work tip discriminator 24. At this time, the through hole 2Ra of the bush 28 is connected to the workpiece 4b.
Since the chamfered portion 16 is larger in diameter than the workpiece 4b, if the chamfered portion 16 is located at the front end of the workpiece 4b, the pressing force of the rod 25 will be greater than that of the workpiece 4b. The chamfered portion 16 is inserted into the through hole 28a. Therefore, the detector 30 retracts against the restoring force of the compression spring 29 and the switch 3 is turned on, so that it is determined that the front end of the workpiece 4b is the chamfered portion 16, that is, the tip. When the tip of the workpiece 4b is determined, the rod 25 is retracted to press the workpiece by the air cylinder 26, and the rotation shaft 38 is rotated clockwise by the rotation cylinder 39. When the guide pipe 40 is located on the straight line 7!3, the tip of the workpiece 4b of the guide pipe 40 is opposed to the workpiece unloading section 32. Here, when the conveyance cylinder 36 is operated and the piston 37 is retracted, the conveyance rod 34 protrudes into the guide pipe 40, and the workpiece 4b inside is transferred to the workpiece unloading section 3.
It is carried out from 2.

When the workpiece 4b is carried out from the workpiece alignment mechanism 19 in this manner, the workpiece 4b is moved to the guide pipe 67g by the conveyor rod 34 because the single guide pipe 67g faces the workpiece carry-in section 51 of the workpiece supply mechanism 20. Iso 67 is inserted inside. When the insertion of the workpiece 4b is completed, the rotating shaft 62 is rotated by 180 degrees by the rotating cylinder 63, and the guide pipe 67a is located at the upper stage and the empty guide pipe 7b is located at the lower stage. Therefore, the guide 67b faces the workpiece loading section 51.

Next, from the workpiece loading section 22 of the workpiece alignment mechanism 19,
When the actual workpiece 4b is carried in in the opposite direction, that is, with the chamfered portion J6 at the rear end, the rear end surface of the workpiece 4b faces the workpiece front end determination section 24. Therefore, when the workpiece 4b is pressed by the rod 25, the rear end surface comes into contact with the front surface of the bushing 28, and the detector 30
is held in an advanced state by a compression spring 29. Therefore, the switch 31 is turned off, and it is determined that the workpiece 4b has been carried in from the rear end. In this way, when the switch 31 is in the OFF state, the rotating cylinder 3
9, the guide pipe 40 turns clockwise, and the chamfered portion 16 of the workpiece 4b, which was opposed to the rod 25 side when pressing the workpiece, now faces the transport rod 34. Therefore, the direction of the workpiece 4b carried out from the workpiece carryout section 32 is opposite to that of the first workpiece, and the workpiece 4b is carried out from the rear end and inserted into the guide wire '1' 67b in the same manner as described above. Therefore, the first and second works 4b and 4b inserted into the guide piezos 7m and 67b are aligned in one direction.

In addition, if the direction of the second workpiece 4b carried in from the workpiece carrying-in section 22 is the same as that of the first workpiece, if it is carried out from the workpiece carrying-out section 32 as it is, the guide pipes 67h, 67b
When inserted, they will be in opposite directions. However, if the second workpiece 4b is brought in in the same direction as the first workpiece, that is, at the front end of the chamfered portion 16, the workpiece tip discrimination section 24 determines that the second workpiece 4b is in the same direction. be done. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8(B), the rotary shaft 38 is rotated counterclockwise by the output signal from the workpiece tip discriminating section 24. Therefore, the chamfered portion 16 of the workpiece 4b faces the transport rod 34, and the rear end faces the workpiece unloading section 32.

This is shown in a table as follows. Kao, ON,
OFF indicates the state of switch 3I, clockwise.

Counterclockwise rotation indicates the direction of rotation of Gaitono4Izo''4o.

In this way, the guide pipe 67 of the work supply mechanism 20
Work 4b in the same direction as a and 67b.

4b is inserted, the guide pipes 67a and 67b are rotated 90 degrees clockwise by the rotating cylinder 63, and the guide pipes 67a and 67b are connected to the workpiece unloading sections 52a and 52b.
to face. At this time, guide middle pipes 67a, 67b
The internal workpiece 4 becomes vertical or tilted during rotation.
b, 4b are lowered by their own weight, and the end surfaces of the works 4b, 4b come into sliding contact with the inner circumferential surface of the guide ring 50. However, when the guide pipes 67a, 67b turn, the insertion holes 53a, 5
A movable plate 58 having a diameter of 3b is moved by a cylinder 59 and has a through hole 53a.

53b is retracted from the center of the guide ring 50 in the width direction. Therefore, the works 4b and 4b are inserted into the insertion hole 53a.
, 53b and turns smoothly. When the guide pipes 67IL and 67b are positioned vertically,
The movable plate 59 is moved by the cylinder 59, and the insertion holes 53h and 53b are opposed to the lower ends of the guides 6ft and 67b. Therefore, when the push-up rods 61 and 61 are protruded by the air cylinder 6θ, the guide via''
The works 4b and 4b in the workpieces 67a and 67b are simultaneously carried out from the workpiece carry-out sections 52a and 52b, and these works 4b and 4b are chucked by the robot chuck 68 and transported to the sudad tightening device.

By repeating such actions, the workpieces 4b... fed from the first hopper 2 can be aligned in the direction and fed two by two to the robot chuck 68.

Note that in the above embodiment, the long workpiece 4b
... has been described from the first hopper 2, but it may also be fed from the second hopper 3, or a short workpiece 4a may be fed from the parts feeder 1. . Furthermore, the workpiece 4a may be supplied from the parts feeder 1, and the workpiece 4b may be supplied from the first or second hopper +2.3.

Moreover, the above description of the case of bolts as workpieces can also be applied to bolts, pins, rods, etc.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, the direction of a workpiece such as a directional Sudad Gold is detected by the workpiece tip discrimination section, the workpiece is rotated in the same direction based on the discrimination result, and is carried out. This has the effect of automatically receiving the carried out workpieces, aligning the direction of the plurality of workpieces, and simultaneously feeding them at the same time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a front view of the entire structure, FIG. 2 is a plan view, and FIGS.
) is a front view of the workpiece, Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional front view of the workpiece supply device, Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional plan view, and Fig. 6 is the same as Fig.
Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line ■-■ in Fig. 4, and Fig. 8 (A) (paddy is an explanatory diagram of the action. 4 a * J b... Wow~ 19... Work alignment mechanism, 20... Work supply mechanism, 21... Guide ring, 22.51... Work loading section, 24... Work tip discrimination section, 25... Work Pressing is done by rod, 32
゜52 a, 52 b - Workpiece unloading section, 40, 67
a. 67b...Guide pipe, 39.63...Rotary cylinder (rotation drive mechanism), 34...Work transfer rod,
61...Pushing rod. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue xE 7 Figure 8

Claims (1)

[Claims] Discriminating the direction of a rod-shaped workpiece having a chamfered portion at the tip,
In an automatic workpiece supply device that aligns the direction of the workpieces and supplies them one by one, it consists of a workpiece alignment mechanism and a workpiece supply mechanism. A workpiece loading section, a workpiece unloading section, and a workpiece tip discriminating section provided in the guide ring, a workpiece transfer rod and a workpiece pressing rod located opposite the workpiece tip discriminating section and a workpiece transfer rod also provided on the guide ring and facing the workpiece tip discriminating section, and the guide ring 1. ．． A guide pipe is provided that can be freely rotated around the IJ song axis, and the guide pipe is rotated to connect the open end of the guide pipe to the workpiece loading section. It consists of a rotational drive mechanism that faces a workpiece tip discriminating section and a workpiece unloading section in this order, and the workpiece feeding mechanism is provided with a guide ring and a workpiece unloading section of the workpiece alignment mechanism provided at different positions of the guide ring. A communicating sliding workpiece loading section and a workpiece unloading section, a push-up rod facing the workpiece unloading section, and a push-up rod that is rotatable about the axis of the above-mentioned light 9 ring to carry in the workpieces one by one from the workpiece loading section. An automatic workpiece supply device comprising a plurality of parallel guide pinos for receiving the workpieces, and a rotation drive mechanism that rotates the guide pinos so that the open ends of the guide pipes face the workpiece unloading section.