JPS6219413Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to a device for conveying articles at different pitches.

In general, a constant pitch conveying device for articles as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 53-81450 is installed in, for example, a welding assembly line in an automobile body manufacturing process. In addition, in the welding assembly line mentioned above, the device for conveying items at different pitches performs welding assembly while conveying small parts in a small pitch, and welds large parts such as those that are joined to other parts while conveying in a large pitch. It is used to transport articles at different pitches depending on their size etc. for assembly. Conventionally, as a device for conveying such articles at different pitches, assembly lines for small parts and large parts are provided, and each is provided with a drive mechanism to convey the articles at a predetermined pitch. , a transfer device was provided to transfer articles from the assembly line for small parts to the assembly line for large parts. However, with such conventional equipment,
There were problems in that it required multiple assembly lines and drive mechanisms, resulting in high costs and a large installation space.

This invention was made in view of the problems of the conventional ones, and includes a plurality of first work stations arranged at equal intervals in a small pitch, and a plurality of first work stations arranged at equal intervals in a large pitch following the first work stations. A plurality of second work stations are provided, and a plurality of second work stations are provided.
First and second transport bars are provided for transporting articles by reciprocating motion between the work stations and between the second work station, respectively, and a plurality of lifters are provided for each of the work stations for lifting the goods from the first and second transport bars. Further, a drive mechanism for reciprocating the first and second conveyance bars and the first and second conveyance bars are both connected to the drive mechanism, and the drive mechanism causes these to reciprocate in small pitches and large pitches, respectively. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for conveying articles at different pitches at a low cost and requiring less installation space by providing a connecting mechanism.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1a and 1b are first work stations for welding and assembling front bodies 2a and 2b, which are parts for the underbody of an automobile; The first work stations 1a, 1b are arranged at equal intervals with a small pitch _L1 , and the front desks are arranged on the left and right sides (top and bottom of FIG. 1) of the first work stations 1a, 1b. Welding robots 3a, 3b for spot welding bodies 2a, 2b
is installed. In front of the first work station 1b (to the right in FIG. 1), following the first work station 1b, a plurality of second work stations _4a are arranged at equal intervals with a large pitch _L2 larger than the small pitch L1. , 4b are arranged, and the second
The work stations 4a and 4b respectively have a front body 2c and a rear body 5b, a front body 2d and a rear body 5c, and an underbody 6a,
This is a station for welding and assembling to 6b.
Further, above the second work station 4a adjacent to the first work station 1b, a hanging hanger 7 is disposed so as to be movable in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2. It is for transporting to work station 4a.
Also, the next second work station following the second work station 4a
A plurality of welding robots 8 are movably supported by guide members 8a and installed above and on the left and right sides of the work station 4b.

and the first work station 1 on the floor 9
A first guide rail 10 consisting of longitudinally long left and right rails 10a and 10b made of I-beam steel is fixed to the left and right sides of a and 1b by support members 10c. Further, above the guide rail 10, a first conveyance bar 12 is arranged so as to be able to reciprocate back and forth. Each bar 12a,
Both sides of 12b are supported by a plurality of guide rollers 11 attached to the guide rail 10 at regular intervals. Also, the bar 12 on the left and right above
A rack (not shown) is formed on the lower surface of each bar 12a, 12b, and two workpiece supporting members 12c each having a workpiece supporting claw 12d facing in a right angle direction are formed on the upper surface of each bar 12a, 12b in a small pitch. They project upward at equal intervals at L ₁ . Note that 10d is a shock absorber, which is attached to the front ends of the left and right rails 10a and 10b, and is for absorbing the shock when the first conveyance bar 12 stops at its forward position. .

Further, the second work station 4a on the floor surface 9,
On the left and right of 4b are left and right rails 1 which are made of I-shaped steel and are long in the front and back, like the first guide rail 10 described above.
A second guide rail 13 consisting of 3a and 13b is fixed by a support member 13c, and the second guide rail 1
The rear end of the guide rail 3 is inserted inside the front end of the first guide rail 10, thereby forming a transfer section 30 between the first and second work stations. Further, above the second guide rail 13, there is a left
A second conveyor bar 14 similar to the first conveyor bar 12 consisting of the right bars 14a and 14b is attached to each bar 14.
Both sides of the bars 14a and 14b are supported by guide rollers 11 so that they can reciprocate back and forth, and racks (not shown) are formed on the lower surfaces of the left and right bars 14a and 14b. 4, which has a workpiece support claw 14d on its upper surface facing in a direction perpendicular to the workpiece support claw 14d.
Book work support members 14c are provided to protrude upward at regular intervals with a large pitch _L2 . Note that 13d is a shock absorber, which is attached to the left and right rails 1.
3a, 13b to absorb the shock when the second conveyance bar 14 stops at its retreated position.

Further, lifters 15 and 16 are provided below the first work stations 1a and 1b, and the lifters 15 are for raising the front body 2a from the first transport bar 12 to the work level. A base 15a fixed on the foundation surface 31 in the pit, one air cylinder 15b attached to the center of the base 15a, and two guide members 15c attached before and after the air cylinder 15b. , a movable base 15d supported vertically movably by the air cylinder 15a, and a plurality of work support members 15f projecting upward from the movable base 15d. Also, the lifter 16 of the adjacent first work station 1b
In addition to the components of the lifter 15, a rotating air cylinder 15 is installed between the upper and lower members of the movable base 15d.
This is for rotating the upper member of the movable base 15d by 90 degrees around the axis of the air cylinder 15b to change the orientation of the front body 2b.

Further, lifters 17 and 18 are provided below the second work stations 4a and 4b, and the lifters 17 and 18 are connected to the first work station 1.
It has almost the same structure as the lifters 15 and 16 of 15a and 1b, but each component 15a to 15a is adjusted according to the lifting stroke and the size and weight of the workpiece to be lifted.
The size of the workpiece support members 15e has increased, and the number of workpiece support members 15f has also increased. Note 15
h is an air cylinder for opening and closing the link mechanism 15i, and this is for moving the movable base 15d up and down together with the air cylinder 15b.

Further, a driving device pit 9a is recessed on the left side (upper side in FIG. 1) of the transfer section 30 between the first and second guide rails on the floor surface 9.
A drive mechanism 19 and a coupling mechanism 20 are installed inside. The drive mechanism 19 includes a drive motor 19a arranged in the left-right direction of the device, and a reducer 19b coaxially connected to the drive motor 19a and reducing the rotational speed to a predetermined speed. In addition, the connection mechanism 20
is composed of a main gear box 21 and first and second coupling mechanisms 22 and 23. The main gear box 21 is made up of a combination of bevel gears and is connected to the output shaft of the reducer 19b through a coupling 21a, and transmits its rotation in the longitudinal direction of the device. The first coupling mechanism 22 includes a second gear box 22c that transmits the rotation of the main gear box 21 in the left-right direction of the device via a coupling 22a and a line shaft 22b;
The rotation speed of L 1 / corresponding to the above pitches L ₁ and L _{2 is}
A transmission 22d that decelerates at a ratio of _L2 , and left and right pinions 22 connected to the output shaft of the transmission 22d.
e, 22f, and the left and right pinions 22e, 22f.
is engaged with a rack on the lower surface of the first conveyor bar 12. Further, the second coupling mechanism 23 has the same configuration as the first coupling mechanism 22, and the coupling 23
a, second gear box 23b, line shaft 2
3c, second drive shaft 23d, left and right pinions 23
e, 23f, the transmission 2
2d is not provided, and the rotational speed of the second gearbox 23b is directly applied to the second gearbox 23b.
It is transmitted to the drive shaft 23d, and in this way, the speed ratio of the reciprocating motion of the first and second conveyor bars 12 and 14 is L ₁ /L ₂ .

Next, the operation will be explained.

Here, the first and second figures show the first and second conveyor bars 1.
2 and 14 are both in their retreated positions, the front bodies 2a and 2b are placed on the workpiece support claws 12d of the first work stations 1a and 1b, and the
Workpiece support claws 14 of work stations 4a, 4b
d shows a state in which underbodies 6a and 6b are placed on top. When the apparatus is started in this state, the drive motor 19a rotates in the forward direction for a predetermined period of time, and the first and second conveyor bars 12 and 14 move forward by pitches _L1 and _L2, respectively. Then, the front body 2a is moved to the first work station 1b,
The front body 2b is a second work station 4a
The front body 2c is conveyed to the left end, and the front body 2c is conveyed to the underbody 6 together with the rear body 5b.
transported to the second work station 4b as a,
At the same time, the drive motor 19a stops, and the first and second conveyor bars 12, 14 also stop. At this time, the inertial force of the first conveyor bar 12 at the time of stopping is absorbed by the shock absorber 10d provided at the front end of the guide rail 10, and the first conveyor bar 12 stops without receiving any impact. The same applies to the second conveyance bar 14. Note that the front body is transported to the first work station 1a from the first work station behind the station 1a, and the underbody 6b is transported to the second work station 4b in front of the second work station 4b.
Transported to work station.

When each workpiece is transported to the first and second work stations 1a, 1b, 4a, and 4b, each movable base 15d is raised by the air cylinder 15b of each lifter 15, 16, 17, and 18 of each station, Each workpiece is raised from above the workpiece support claws 12d and 14d to the working level by the workpiece support member 15f. Further, the front body of the first work station 1b is further rotated by 90 degrees, and then each workpiece of the first and second work stations 1a, 1b, 4b is moved to the welding robot 3 at the above work level.
Welded by a, 3b, and 8.

Further, at the second work station 4a, the rear body 5a carried by the hanging hanger 7 above the work station 4a is placed on the second lift 1.
It is lowered and placed on the workpiece support member 15f of No. 7, and an underbody (not shown) is formed with the front body 2b on the workpiece support member 15f.

Further, while each workpiece is being lifted by the lifters 15 to 18, the first and second transport bars 1
2 and 14 are moved back by pitches L ₁ and L ₂ , respectively, and returned to the original retreat position. When the welding work is finished, each workpiece is lowered by each lifter and placed on the workpiece support claws 12d, 14d of the first and second conveyor bars 12, 14 in their retreated positions, and then again The second transport bars 12 and 14 move forward by pitches L ₁ and L ₂ , respectively, and each work is transported to an adjacent work station, and then raised again to the work level by each lifter, where it is sequentially welded and assembled. becomes.

In the apparatus of this embodiment configured and operated in this manner, the first work stations 1a, 1b and the second work stations 4a, 4b are arranged in a straight line, so there is only one assembly line, and the installation space for the assembly line is reduced. In addition, there is no need for a workpiece transfer device. In addition, the first and second conveyor bars 1
2 and 14 are both connected to one drive mechanism 19, the number of drive motors 19a and reduction gears 19b can be reduced.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the first and second conveyor bars 1
2 and 14, a drive motor 19a and a reduction gear 19b are provided as a drive mechanism, and a coupling, a gearbox, a line shaft, a pinion, and a transmission are provided as a coupling mechanism. In order to obtain the feed rate, a cylinder operated by air or hydraulic pressure is used as the drive mechanism, and the ratio of the arm lengths of the coupling mechanism is the pitch L ₁ , L _{2 .}
It is also possible to use a link mechanism having a ratio of

As described above, according to the apparatus for conveying articles at different pitches according to the present invention, a plurality of first
a work station followed by a plurality of second work stations arranged in a large pitch;
First and second transport bars are provided for transporting articles by reciprocating motion between the first work station and the second work station, and the goods are lifted from the first and second transport bars to the first and second work stations. further, a drive mechanism for reciprocating the first and second conveyance bars, and both the first and second conveyance bars are connected to the drive mechanism, and the drive mechanism moves the first and second conveyance bars in small pitches and large pitches, respectively. Since a connecting mechanism for reciprocating is provided, the installation space for the device is small, and the cost of the device can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an apparatus for conveying articles at different pitches according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view thereof. 1a, 1b...first work station, 4a,
4b...Second work station, 12...First transport bar, 14...Second transport bar, 15-18...
Lifter, 19... Drive mechanism (drive motor, reducer), 20... Connection mechanism (coupling, gearbox, line shaft, transmission, drive shaft, pinion).

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] a plurality of first work stations arranged at equal intervals in a small pitch; a plurality of second work stations subsequent to the first work stations arranged at equal intervals in a large pitch; between the first work stations;
first and second conveyor bars that respectively convey articles by reciprocating motion between second work stations; a plurality of lifters that are provided in each of the work stations and lift articles from the first and second conveyor bars; 1. A drive mechanism that reciprocates the second conveyance bar;
A coupling mechanism that connects both the first and second conveyance bars to the drive mechanism and allows the drive mechanism to reciprocate the first and second conveyance bars in small pitches and large pitches, respectively. Equipment for conveying goods at different pitches.