JPS6232738Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] This invention is used in automatic assembly machines, etc., to transport workpieces that continuously flow on a chute to the assembly station for the next process, determine the posture of the workpieces (presence or absence of depressions), and adjust each piece to a predetermined posture. The present invention relates to an alignment device that aligns the objects while maintaining the same.

Conventionally, parts feeders and the like have been known as means for determining the feeding orientation of workpieces, aligning them in one direction, and transporting them. However, at the same time, there was no one that had the function of separating the work piece by piece, and even if it did have a separation function, it was inefficient.

The present invention aims to provide an alignment device that can identify and correct the posture of workpieces on the workpiece transport path, and separate and transport each workpiece to the next process in a short time and rationally, and that also has a simplified mechanism. be.

The present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. Reference numeral 1 denotes a base, to which a support box 2 is fixed. A cylindrical pinion 4 having a through hole 3 is supported in the support box 2 by a bearing 5 so as to be rotatable around an axis. Note that the pinion 4 is provided with a square groove 13' communicating with a square groove 11 described later. Further, a through hole 6 is formed in the base 1, and a guide body 8, which is integrated with the seat body 7, is inserted into the through hole 6 and the through hole 3. A holder 9 is integrated into the upper part of the pinion 4. A V-shaped guide groove 10 is formed in the upper part of the holder 9, and a first path through hole 11 formed of a square groove communicates with each part of the guide groove 10 and penetrates in the vertical direction (hereinafter referred to as the vertical direction). ing. Furthermore, a total of four adapter entry angle grooves 12, 12, . On the other hand,
A vertically divided guide groove 13 and a square groove 14 are formed in the guide body 8, and a second pass through hole is formed by these. Before operation, as shown in FIG. 2, the passages of the first pass through hole 11 and the second pass through hole are in positions that are 90 degrees apart from each other.

An adapter 15 constituting a supply attitude detector enters into the adapter entry angle groove 12 . This adapter 15 is attached via bolts 19 to a head 18 that is guided by two guide bars 17, 17 installed across a stand 16. Further, a detection entry cylinder 20 is fixed to the stand 16 so as to be located on the same line as the adapter 15, and its piston rod 21 is locked to the head 18 by a pin 22.
is guided by a long hole 23 formed in the head 18. A buffer spring 24 is interposed between the end face of the head 18 and a collar provided on the piston rod 21, and prevents the impact when the cylinder 20 is extended from being directly applied to the head 18, that is, the adapter 15. There is. FIG. 1 shows the piston rod 21 in its extended state, and the spring 2
A state in which the adapter 15 enters into the square groove 12 through the urging force of 4 is shown.

On the other hand, an entry confirmation limit switch 25 is attached to the side of the support box 2, and faces a presser 26 integrated with the head 18.
This limit switch 25, a limit switch (not shown) for detecting extension of the cylinder 20, and the adapter 15 constitute a supply attitude detection/discrimination means. A taper is formed at the tip of the adapter 15 so that it fits into a taper formed on the inner surface of the annular workpiece W when inserted.

That is, when the workpiece W that has entered the holder is in a normal state (facing up), the adapter 15 is deeply inserted into the inner surface of the workpiece W by the action of the cylinder 20.

By inserting this adapter 15, the cylinder 2
The normal posture is determined by the sign of the limit switch 25 at the same time as the sign of the limit switch confirming the extension of 0. Also, the posture of workpiece W is abnormal (face down).
In this case, the adapter 15 is not inserted into the workpiece W and the piston rod of the cylinder 20 advances to the forward end (to the left) and the limit switch signal is emitted, but the limit switch 25 signal is not emitted and it is determined that there is an abnormality in the workpiece. .

After determining the supply posture, a means for rotating the holder 9 around the axis is provided in order to separate the workpiece and move it to the next process. A two-stage cylinder 27 for rotation is fixed to the stand 16 and includes large and small cylinders 27A and 27B with different diameters. The piston rod 28 of the large diameter cylinder 27A is connected to a rack bar 29, and the rack bar 29 meshes with the pinion 4. Reference numeral 30 denotes a dog support for detecting the position of the rack bar 29, which is connected to the rack bar 29 by a connecting plate 31.

To explain the operation of the apparatus configured in this way, the annular workpiece W having a tapered inner surface, which has been transported from the previous process, reaches above the holder 9 and is fitted into the square groove 11 of the holder 9. At this time, since the square grooves 11 and the guide grooves 13 are 90 degrees apart from each other as described above, the workpiece W is placed on the guide body 8 without passing through the second pass through hole. When the fitting of the workpiece W into the square groove 11 is detected by a sensor (not shown), the cylinder 20 is actuated to advance its piston rod 21.
As a result, the adapter 15 enters into the square groove 12 as shown in FIG.

Here, as shown in Fig. 3, if the workpiece W is in a state with its tapered surface facing right (normal state), the square groove 1
1, the adapter 15 is supplied into the workpiece W
Go in until it meets the tapered surface of. the result,
In addition to the cylinder 20 advance signal, a normal supply signal is obtained by the operation of the entry confirmation limit switch 25 by the presser 26. Furthermore, when the workpiece W is fed in the opposite direction, although the cylinder 20 forward movement signal is issued, the piston rod 21 advances to the forward end, but the adapter 15 only comes into contact with the end surface of the workpiece W and the spring 24 is compressed. The limit switch 25 does not operate because it does not penetrate the distance until it comes into contact with the tapered surface. This determines that the supply of the workpiece W is not normal.

When the detection operation is completed as described above, for example, when it is determined that the supply is normal, the large diameter cylinder 2
When the piston 27C of the cylinder 7A is pressed leftward, only the small diameter cylinder 27B of the cylinder 27 moves forward, and the piston rod 28 extends a predetermined length. Rotate 90 degrees. As a result, the square groove 11 coincides with the guide groove 13, and the workpiece W falls down through the second pass hole and is separated and transferred to the next process. Note that when the cylinder 27 is activated, the adapter 15 is already retracted. On the other hand, when the abnormal posture is supplied, the piston 2
7C retreats, the piston 27D also retreats (rightward), and the holder 9 is moved through the pinion 4.
rotates 90 degrees clockwise. As a result, the posture is corrected, and the workpiece W falls downward through the second pass hole and is transferred to the next process as described above. In this case, to return the holder 9 to the 90 degree offset position, the piston 27C is moved forward (to the left).

In this way, the continuously supplied workpieces are separated one by one and their feeding postures are determined and corrected before being transferred to the next process.

Note that the above example was explained using a workpiece consisting of an annular ring with a tapered surface, but workpieces of other shapes can also be worked using the same principle if the shape of the adapter is selected appropriately. Understand that you can achieve your goals for the term. Further, although an adapter and a limit switch are used as the supply attitude detector, the specific configuration is not limited as long as the supply attitude can be determined based on the degree of penetration of the adapter.

As described above, in the present invention, the first pass through hole is formed in the holder, and the first pass through hole and the second pass through hole in the guide body are made to be different from each other, so that the workpieces are fed one by one. It can be installed at a predetermined position on the guide body. In addition, the feeding posture of the workpiece is determined based on the degree of penetration of the feeding posture detector.
The structure of the detection means is simplified. Furthermore, since the holder is rotatable around the axis, combined with the structure of the staggered path through holes, separation and transfer can be performed reliably. Other advantages include improved processing speed, simplified structure, and economy.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a front view in cross section of the device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of its main parts, Fig. 3 is a plan view,
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a partial cross section of FIG. 1. 2...Support box, 4...Pinion, 8...
Guide body, 9...Holder, 11...Square groove, 12...
...Adapter approach angle groove, 13...Guide groove, 14...
...Square groove, 15...Adapter, 18...Head,
20...Entry cylinder for detection, 25...Entry confirmation limit switch, 27...Two-stage cylinder, 29
...Rack Bar.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A holder having a first pass hole in the vertical direction through which the workpiece can pass and a through hole in a direction intersecting the first pass hole is rotatable around the axis, and the workpiece passes directly below the holder. A guide body having a second pass through hole is disposed in a possible vertical direction, and the workpiece is made impossible to pass only when the first and second pass through holes are in an intersecting state. A supply posture detector is disposed that moves forward and backward in the through hole toward the workpiece that has been supplied and placed on the guide body, and detects the supply posture of the workpiece according to the degree of approach, and the supply posture detector The workpiece is characterized in that the direction of rotation of the holder is selected based on a signal from the holder, the holder is rotated to a predetermined posture, and the first pass through hole and the second pass through hole are communicated with each other. alignment device.