JPS6149205B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a conveying device for sequentially conveying a plurality of workpieces to each process in a production line.

Conventionally, this type of conveyance device grips a workpiece placed on a mounting table in each process with a transfer bar, lifts the transfer bar using a lift and carry mechanism, and in that state moves the workpiece in the line direction.
There is a known method in which the work is transferred in pitches and then transferred onto a mounting table for the next process.

However, in the conventional device described above, the lift and carry mechanism has the function of supporting the weight of the work in a lifted state and the function of transporting the work, so the device itself becomes large and its structure is complicated. There was a problem with becoming.

In view of the above, the present invention provides a system in which the weight supporting function and the transporting function of the workpiece are performed by separate means when the workpiece is transported, thereby reducing the size of the device and simplifying its structure. The purpose is to

In order to achieve this objective, the configuration of the present invention is provided so that a plurality of workpieces are placed at equal intervals,
A mounting table having a substantially horizontal mounting surface, a receiving surface provided corresponding to each mounting surface of the mounting table, and receiving a workpiece on the mounting table in a horizontally movable manner; The receiving surface is configured to move up and down between above and below the mounting surface, and includes a plurality of lifters that lift the workpiece on the mounting table above the mounting surface, and a plurality of lifters on the sides of the lifter. , and a plurality of movable bases installed in a row so as to be laterally movable at lower positions corresponding to each workpiece mounting position on the above-mentioned mounting base, and a plurality of movable bases attached to each of the movable bases, which are attached to the respective movable bases so as to move the workpiece to the position where the workpiece is raised by a lifter and the workpiece on the above-mentioned mounting base. The engaging arm is configured to be moved up and down by a second drive means between the lower loading position and engageable with the workpiece on the receiving surface of the lifter, and when the lifter is raised, the loading table is moved upwardly and downwardly. Lift up the workpiece, move the workpiece one pitch by raising the engagement arm and moving the moving table forward, and transfer it to the next lifter. After the transfer, lower the engaging arm and return the moving table to its original position. At the same time, the lifter is lowered to transfer the workpiece to the mounting table. This allows the lifter to perform the weight support function of the workpiece during transport, and the transfer function to the moving table and the engagement arm. It was decided that the work would be divided among the staff.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a conveying device A which is an embodiment of the present invention, and the conveying device A is used to carry out a plurality of works (for example, automobile outer panels) W, W, . . . in a production line for automobile outer panels. This is for sequentially transporting the materials to each process. The transport device A has a large number of mounting tables 2, 2, . . . erected on a base 1,
The mounting tables 2, 2, . . . hold a plurality of workpieces W, W, .
... are arranged so as to be placed at equal intervals in the line direction, and the six mounting tables 2, 2, ... are arranged in a substantially horizontal manner to support one workpiece W in a substantially horizontal state by the upper end surfaces of the mounting tables 2, 2, .... A surface 3 is formed.

Further, reference numeral 4 denotes a lifter provided corresponding to each mounting surface 3 of the above-mentioned mounting tables 2, 2, .
5 and several connecting members 6, 6, . are rotatably mounted in a state in which a plurality of rollers 8, 8, . A receiving surface 9 is formed to receive the workpiece W on the mounting table 2 in a horizontally movable manner.

The lifter 4 has a base 1 as shown in FIG.
The tip of the piston rod 10a of a cylinder 10 as a first driving means is attached to the cylinder 10 with the piston rod 10a facing upward, and the distal end of the piston rod 10a is connected via a bracket 11, and the expansion and contraction movement of the cylinder 10 causes the receiving surface 9 of the lifter 4 to move to the above-mentioned mounting surface. 3, and is configured to move up and down between the upper and lower sides of the mounting table 3, and to lift the work W on the mounting table 2 above the mounting table 2. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 12 denotes a guide rod that extends downward in the longitudinal direction of the connecting portion of the piston rod 10a of the lifter 4 and passes through the base 1. Reference numeral 13 corresponds to the guide rod 12 above the base 1. The guide device 13 includes several (four in the figure) rotatable rollers 14 that come into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the guide rod 12.
14, . . . and guide the vertical movement of the lifter 4 via a guide rod 12.
Further, 31 is a limit switch.

Further, 15, 15 are left and right rails arranged on the base 1 in parallel to the line direction, and on the rails 15, 15 are placed the above-mentioned mounting tables 2, 2, A plurality of movable tables 17, 17, each having two rollers 16, 16 on the left and right at the lower position corresponding to each workpiece placement position.
...is placed so that it can be moved laterally (runnable). The adjacent movable tables 17, 17 are connected to each other via a connecting member 18, and the movable table 17 on one end side is connected to a driving means (not shown) such as an air motor. All the movable tables 17, 17, .

At the front end and center of each moving table 17,
As shown in detail in FIG. 4, the engaging arms 20 and 20 are moved via the supporting members 19 and 19, respectively, in response to the opening a or b of the workpiece W placed on the lifted lifter 4. In the vertical plane of the traveling direction of the table 17, in the backward direction (that is, in the forward direction for the engagement arm 20 at the front end of the moving table 17, and in the backward direction for the engaging arm 20 at the center of the moving table 17) ) is rotatably mounted. Each engagement arm 20 includes a substantially L-shaped arm portion 21 whose center portion is supported by the support member 19, and the arm portion 2.
1, and a finger section 22 connected to one end (upper end in the figure) of the arm section 21, and a second finger section 22 connected to the other end (lower end in the figure) of the arm section 21 attached to the moving table
The tip of a piston rod 23a of a cylinder 23 serving as a driving means is connected to the cylinder 23.
The engagement arm 20 is rotated by the extension and contraction movement of the engagement arm 20, so that the finger portion 22 of the engagement arm 20 moves up and down between the position where the workpiece W is raised by the lifter 4 and the lower part of the workpiece placement position on the mounting table 2. It's getting old. Further, the finger portion 22 of the engagement arm 20 has an opening a of the work W on the lifter 4 in order to move the work W on the lifter 4 to the next lifter 4 by the extension movement of the cylinder 22a when the finger portion 22 is raised. Alternatively, it is configured so that it can be engaged with the workpiece W by gripping the peripheral portion b.

On the other hand, a support arm 25 is attached to the rear end of the moving table 17 via a support member 24, corresponding to the rear end in the transport direction (line direction) of the workpiece W placed on the elevated lifter 4. Like the engagement arm 20 at the center of the movable base 17, it is attached so as to be rotatable in the backward direction in a plane perpendicular to the traveling direction of the movable base 17. The support arm 25 includes a substantially L-shaped arm portion 26 whose center portion is supported by the support member 24, and a finger portion 27 connected to one end portion (the upper end portion in the figure) of the arm portion 26. , the arm portion 26
The other end (lower end in the figure) is connected to the piston rod 23a connecting end of the arm portion 21 of the engaging arm 20 at the center of the moving table 17 via the connecting rod 28. The support arm 25 rotates as the support arm 20 rotates, and the finger portion 27 of the support arm 25 moves up and down between the position where the workpiece W is raised by the lifter 4 and the lower position where the workpiece is placed on the mounting table 2. It's getting old. Further, when the finger portion 27 of the support arm 25 is raised, the rear end portion of the workpiece W on the lifter 4 in the transport direction is lifted by a predetermined amount by the extension movement of the cylinder 27a, and the workpiece W is transported by the finger portion 27 of the support arm 25. It is designed so that it can be performed more smoothly.

Incidentally, reference numeral 29 is a horizontal member disposed between adjacent lifters 4 when the lifter 4 is raised, and the horizontal member 29 includes a plurality of rollers 30, 30 whose upper ends protrude upward. , ... are rotatably mounted in close proximity to each other, and a workpiece W placed on one lifter 4
9 rollers 30, 30, . . . to be transferred to the next lifter 4.

Next, the operation of the transport device A is controlled by the mounting table 2,
A case will be described in which a workpiece W placed on one mounting surface 3 of 2, . . . is transferred to the next mounting surface 3. In this case, initially, the lifter 4 and the moving table 17 provided corresponding to the above-mentioned placing surface 3 are located below the placing surface 3, respectively, and the engaging arms 20, 20 on the above-mentioned moving table 17 and The support arms 25 are each in a horizontally collapsed state.

From this state, first, the lifter 4 rises due to the extension movement of the cylinder 10, so that the workpiece W on the placement surface 3 is received by the receiving surface 9 of the lifter 4, and the workpieces W on the placement surfaces 2, 2 ,... is lifted upwards.

Thereafter, the engagement arms 20, 20 are rotated in the upright direction by the extension movement of the cylinders 23, 23, and the finger portions 22, 20 of the engagement arms 20, 20 are rotated.
22 rises to the position of the workpiece W placed on the receiving surface 9 of the lifted lifter 4, and at that position, the finger parts 22, 22 touch the cylinder 22.
The periphery of the opening a or b of the workpiece W is gripped by the extension movement of a and 22a. In addition, the moving table 17
The upper support arm 25 rotates in the upright direction with the rotation of the engagement arm 20 at the center of the movable table 17, so that the finger portion 2 of the support arm 25 is rotated.
7 is the finger portion 2 of the engaging arms 20, 20;
2 and 22, the lifter 4 rises to the position of the workpiece W on the receiving surface 9, and at that position, the finger portion 27 abuts against the rear end of the workpiece W in the conveying direction due to the extension movement of the cylinder 27a, and Lift the rear end in the transport direction upward by a predetermined amount.

Next, the moving platform 17 is moved forward on the rails 15, 15 by the operation of the driving means.
The engaging arms 20, 20 on the moving table 17 grip the peripheral edge of the opening a or b of the workpiece W on the receiving surface 9 of the lifter 4, and the support arm 25 grips the rear end of the workpiece W in the transport direction. The above-mentioned work W
is conveyed one pitch while sliding on the receiving surface 9 of the lifter 4, and is transferred onto the receiving surface 9 of the next lifter 4 which has been raised in the same way as the lifter 4 mentioned above.

After transporting the workpiece W in this way, the workpiece W
The gripping state of the engagement arms 20, 20 and the lifting state of the support arm 25 are released, and the engagement arms 20, 20 and the support arm 25 are moved in the tilting direction by the contraction movement of the cylinders 23, 23. The finger portions 22, 22, 2 of the engagement arms 20, 20 and the support arm 25 are rotated.
7 is lowered below the placement surface 3 position. Thereafter, the movable table 17 moves backward on the rails 15, 15 and returns to its original position.

Further, the lifter 4 with the new work W placed on the receiving surface 9 moves the cylinder 10 almost simultaneously with the rotation of the engagement arms 20, 20 and the support arm 25.
is lowered by the contraction movement of the lifter 4, and the receiving surface 9 of the lifter 4
When the workpiece W is at the same position as the mounting surface 3 of the mounting table 2, 2, . . . , the work W is transferred from the receiving surface 9 of the lifter 4 onto the mounting surface 3. On the other hand, the lifter 4 continues to descend further and returns to its original position.

Therefore, in the above-mentioned conveying device A, since the workpiece W is conveyed while sliding on the receiving surface 9 of the lifter 4, the workpiece W
The engagement arms 20, 20 that grip the peripheral edge of the opening a or b do not need to support the weight of the workpiece W, and may simply be attached to the moving table 17 and configured to be able to move laterally. The structure of the engaging arms 20, 20 and the structure of the transport device A itself can be simplified, and the size thereof can be reduced.

Moreover, the moving table 17 that moves laterally in order to transfer the workpiece W on the lifted lifter 4 to the next lifter 4,
Since the engaging arms 20, 20 and the support arm 25 are returned to their original positions in a horizontally laid down state, that is, in a state in which they are positioned below the mounting surface 3 of the mounting tables 2, 2, . When the workpiece 17 returns, it becomes possible to work on the workpiece W newly placed on the placement surface 3 while ensuring safety, and it is possible to improve workability.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned mounting tables 2, 2, ... are the work W
Since the workpiece W is always in a fixed state during transportation, the workpiece W can be reliably transferred to the mounting surface 3 of the mounting table 2, 2, . . . in a predetermined manner.

In the above embodiment, the present invention was applied to sequentially conveying a plurality of outer panels to each process in a production line for automobile outer panels, but in other production lines, the present invention Of course, this method can also be applied in the same way when sequentially conveying materials to each process.

Further, in the above embodiment, the cylinder 10 is used as the first driving means for vertically moving the lifter 4, and the cylinders 23, 23 are used as the second driving means for vertically moving the engagement arms 20, 20. However, instead of these cylinders 10, 23, 23, various mechanical driving means may be used.

As explained above, according to the present invention, a workpiece placed on a mounting table is lifted by a lifter having a receiving surface for receiving the workpiece in a horizontally movable manner, and the workpiece on the receiving surface of the lifter is lifted. Since the workpiece is conveyed one pitch while sliding on the receiving surface by an engagement arm attached to a horizontally movable moving table, the weight supporting means and the conveying means of the workpiece are effectively separated, and the device The structure itself can be simplified and miniaturized. Furthermore, since the engaging arm is located below the mounting table when the movable table is returned, it is possible to work on the workpiece, thereby achieving excellent practical effects such as improving workability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of the conveyance device, FIG. 2 is a side view of the same, FIG. 3 is a vertical side view of the lifter, and FIG. 4 is a moving table. FIG. A... Transfer device, W... Workpiece, 2... Placing table, 3... Placing surface, 4... Lifter, 9... Receiving surface, 10... Cylinder, 17... Moving table, 20...
...Engagement arm, 23...Cylinder.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A mounting table that is provided to place a plurality of workpieces at equal intervals and has a substantially horizontal mounting surface, and a mounting table that is provided corresponding to each mounting surface of the mounting table and that allows the workpieces on the mounting table to be placed horizontally. It has a receiving surface that is movably received, and the receiving surface is moved up and down between above and below the placing surface by a first driving means, and the workpiece on the placing table is moved up and down by the first driving means. a plurality of lifters that lift the workpieces upwardly, a plurality of moving tables that are connected to the sides of the lifters so as to be able to move laterally at lower positions corresponding to the respective workpiece placement positions of the above-mentioned placement tables; It is attached to a stand, and is configured to move up and down by a second drive means between the workpiece lifting position by the lifter and the lower workpiece placement position on the above-mentioned placement stand, and moves the workpiece on the lifter to the next lifter. the workpiece is lifted up from the mounting table by raising the lifter, and the workpiece is transported one pitch by raising the engaging arm and moving the moving table forward. A transfer device configured to transfer the workpiece to the next lifter, lower the engagement arm after transfer, return the moving table to its original position, and lower the lifter to transfer the workpiece to the mounting table. .