JPS6253411B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvement in a pool conveyor that transports articles while pooling them.

Generally, in the vehicle assembly process of automobiles, for example, tires are integrally assembled to road wheels to form tire assemblies on a tire assembly supply line (subline) that is separate from the vehicle assembly line (main line) where vehicles flow. The tire assembly is supplied to a vehicle assembly line. However, in such a manufacturing system, if the tire assembly supply line stops working for some reason, there is a risk that the vehicle assembly line will also stop working due to a lack of tire assembly supply. In addition, a certain number of tire assemblies supplied from a tire assembly supply line are pooled together by a pool conveyor during transportation.

As the above-mentioned pool conveyor, a so-called drive roller conveyor is usually employed in which a plurality of rollers are each connected by a chain or the like and driven to rotate.

By the way, this type of pool conveyor is required to have the ability to pool a large number of items (tire assemblies) in a small installation space, and in order to meet this requirement, it has been considered, for example, to arrange the pool conveyor in a zigzag pattern. It will be done.

However, when the drive roller conveyor described above is arranged in a zigzag pattern, the angle between each roller changes at each corner (direction change part), causing the rollers to bulge outward, resulting in a reduction in the overall installation space. There was a downside to being big.

In addition, since the entire pool conveyor is manufactured using an expensive drive roller conveyor, equipment costs are high.

Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to manufacture a pool conveyor at low cost by making extensive use of a drive belt conveyor and a free roller conveyor, and using a transfer conveyor dedicated to changing the direction of articles. The purpose is to make it possible to pool many items while reducing the installation space.

To achieve this objective, the configuration of the present invention consists of an uphill drive belt conveyor and a downhill free roller conveyor following the conveyor, each of which has an alternating arrangement of said drive belt conveyor and free roller conveyor. a plurality of conveyor apparatuses that are different in direction and substantially parallel to each other, conveying first and second drive roller conveyors disposed at opposite ends of the plurality of conveyor apparatuses, respectively, disposing articles in substantially the same direction as each other; A transfer conveyor is installed at the intersection of the roller conveyor and the drive belt conveyor of each conveyor device to change the conveyance direction of the articles on the drive roller conveyor toward the drive belt conveyor, and the free roller conveyor of each conveyor device is A stopper member for restricting the movement of articles is provided near the bottom, and the articles are conveyed in a zigzag pattern, so that the articles are pooled on the free roller conveyor of each conveyor device while movement is restricted by each stopper member. It is something.

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

Figures 1 to 5 show the case where the application is applied to a tire assembly supply line in the vehicle assembly process of automobiles, and 1 is a tire assembly assembly process in which a tire is assembled to a road wheel to form a tire assembly W (article). The upstream end of a substantially horizontal introduction drive roller conveyor 2 is connected to the assembly process 1, and the downstream end of the introduction drive roller conveyor 2 has a first drive roller conveyor 2 extending in the same direction as the introduction drive roller conveyor 2. 1 drive roller conveyor 3 is connected. Further, on the side of the first driving roller conveyor 3, there is provided a position which is approximately parallel to the first driving roller conveyor 3 and in the same direction (the first driving roller conveyor 3).
A second drive roller conveyor 4 for conveying the tire subassembly W is disposed in a direction (from the right side to the left side in the figure), and between the first and second drive roller conveyors 3 and 4 there are four roller conveyors approximately parallel to each other. The conveyor devices 5, 5, ... are double-driving roller conveyors 3, 4, respectively.
It is placed perpendicular to the In other words, the first and second drive roller conveyor devices 3, 4 are provided at both ends of the four conveyor devices 5, 5, .
is installed.

Each of the conveyor devices 5 includes an uphill drive belt conveyor 6 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
and a downwardly sloped free roller conveyor 7 continuous to the downstream end (upper end) of the drive belt conveyor 6, and three conveyors from the right side in FIG. 1 at the downstream end of the free roller conveyor 7. Conveyor devices 5, 5,... (upstream side in the conveyance direction)
In the case of
One conveyor device 5 (the one at the downstream end in the conveyance direction) shown at the left end of the figure is each provided with a substantially horizontal delivery drive belt conveyor 9 having a width smaller than the diameter of the tire assembly W. Further, in the four conveyor devices 5, 5, ..., the arrangement of the drive belt conveyor 6 and the free roller conveyor 7 (auxiliary drive roller conveyor 8 or delivery drive belt conveyor 9) is alternately different, and the first In the right end of the figure and the third conveyor device 5, 5 from the right end to the left end, its drive belt conveyor 6, 6
intersects with the first driving roller conveyor 3, and the first
In the left end of the figure (equipped with the delivery drive belt conveyor 9) and the third conveyor device 5, 5 from the left end to the right, the drive belt conveyor 6, 6 is the second conveyor device.
It is provided so as to intersect with the drive roller conveyor 4.

Further, at the intersection of the first and second driving roller conveyors 3 and 4 and the driving belt conveyor 6 of each conveyor device 5, tire assemblies W, W on the first and second driving roller conveyors 3 and 4 are provided. A transfer conveyor 10 is provided that changes the conveyance direction of the ... toward the drive belt conveyor 6. As shown in enlarged detail in FIGS. 4 and 5, each transfer conveyor 10 includes a guide member 11 disposed across the first or second drive roller conveyor 3, 4, and the guide member. A first guide roller 13 is disposed on an extension line of one end of the guide member 11 and is pivotally supported with a vertical axis on a fixed support member 12 fixed to one end of the guide member 11; a second guide roller 15 which is rotatably supported with a vertical axis on a movable support member 14 which is supported at the other end of the guide member 11 so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction of the guide member 11; and both guide rollers 14. , 15 belt 16 stretched between
and a spring 17 that biases the movable support member 14 away from the guide member 11 to keep the tension of the belt 16 constant; The motor 18 is rotatably driven so that the surface portion that comes into contact with the assembly W moves in the direction from the first or second drive roller conveyor 3, 4 to the drive belt conveyor 6. The tire assembly W on the two drive roller conveyors 3 and 4 is transferred onto the drive belt conveyor 6 by contact with the belt 16, and its conveyance direction is changed.

Furthermore, the connecting portion of the introduction drive roller conveyor 2 to the first drive roller conveyor 3 and the vicinity of the bottom of the free roller conveyor 7 of each conveyor device 5 (the upstream end of the auxiliary drive roller conveyor 8 or the delivery point of the free roller conveyor 7) stopper members 19, 19, 19 for restricting the movement of the tire assembly W, respectively at the connection part to the drive belt conveyor 9).
...is arranged. Each stopper member 19 is
It is composed of a pair of substantially doglegged locking members 19a, 19a disposed on both sides of the upper surface of each conveyor 2, 7, 8 with their inner sides facing each other, and each of the locking members 1
9a is rotatably supported by a predetermined angle at its central bent portion, and both locking members 19a, 19a
By synchronously rotating them in opposite directions to open the front side in the conveyance direction and close the rear side,
Movement of the transported tire assembly W is restricted at the rear side, and then by closing the front side and opening the rear side, the tire assembly W whose movement has been restricted is released and moved, and the front side is moved. It operates so as to restrict the movement of the next tire assembly W at the same time, that is, to transport the tire assemblies W one by one while restricting their movement.

Although not shown, near the upstream end of the free roller conveyor 7 of each conveyor device 5, there is a sign indicating that the number of pools of tire assemblies W, W, ... on the free roller conveyor 7 has decreased from the specified number. A sensor for detecting is located near the delivery drive belt conveyor 9 and detects that the tire assembly W on the conveyor 9 has been lifted up by the delivery trolley conveyor 20 connected to the vehicle assembly line and has disappeared. Each sensor is provided, and output signals (auxiliary signals) from these sensors are configured to operate the drive belt conveyor 6, auxiliary drive roller conveyor 8, stopper member 19, etc. immediately upstream of each sensor. has been done.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 21 denotes a turn roller disposed at the intersection of the first or second drive roller conveyor 3, 4 and the auxiliary drive roller conveyor 8 of each conveyor device 5. While rotating the upper tire assembly W,
It is for guiding onto the driving roller conveyors 3 and 4.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained.
The tire assemblies W, W, . . . sent out from the tire assembly assembly process 1 are each conveyed by an introduction drive roller conveyor 2, and are stopped and regulated by a stopper member 19 at the downstream end thereof. When the number of pools of tire assemblies W, W, ... in the conveyor device 5 at the upstream end (the one at the right end in Figure 1) decreases below the specified number and a replenishment signal is output from the sensor, Conveyor device 5
When the drive belt conveyor 6 is operated, the stopper member 19 is opened, and the opening of the stopper member 19 causes the introduction drive roller conveyor 2 to open.
One of the upper tire assemblies W, W, . . . is sent out from the conveyor 2 to the first driving roller conveyor 3 and conveyed. This fed-out tire assembly W is conveyed by the first drive roller conveyor 3, and while it is being conveyed, a transfer conveyor 10 on the conveyor 3
At this time, by the direction changing action of the transfer conveyor 10, the sheet is transferred from the first drive roller conveyor 3 onto the drive belt conveyor 6 of the upstream end conveyor device 5 which is in the operating state.

At this time, the conveyor 6 in the example that receives the tire assembly W is a belt conveyor, while the conveyor 3 that sends out the assembly W is a roller conveyor, so that the conveyor 6 and the tire assembly W are connected to each other. Due to the difference in contact area, that is, the frictional force, the tire assembly W is strongly attracted toward the drive belt conveyor 6, and as a result, together with the transfer direction conversion effect by the transfer conveyor 10, the tire assembly W is pulled toward the drive belt conveyor 6.
Transfer can be carried out smoothly.

The tire assembly W transferred onto the drive belt conveyor 6 of the conveyor device 5 in this way is transported along with the transport operation of the conveyor 6, and after passing the downstream end (upper end) thereof, the free roller conveyor 7
Then, it slides down on the free roller conveyor 7, and if there are any tire assemblies W, W, ... remaining on the free roller conveyor 7, it moves to the last one, or if there are none, it slides down the stopper member 19 at the downstream end. As a result, the tire assemblies W, W, . . . are pooled on the conveyor device 5 at the upstream end.

After this, the second conveyor device 5 from the upstream end
When the number of pools of tire assemblies W, W, ... in (the second one from the right end in Figure 1) decreases below the specified number and a replenishment signal is output from that sensor, the second tire assembly is Conveyor device 5
The drive belt conveyor 6 and the auxiliary drive roller conveyor 8 of the conveyor device 5 at the upstream end operate, and the stopper member 19 in the conveyor device 5 at the upstream end operates to open. One tire assembly W, W, ... pooled on the free roller conveyor 7 of the end conveyor device 5 is removed from the conveyor 7.
sent from. This fed-out tire assembly W is transferred to the second drive roller conveyor 4 via the auxiliary drive roller conveyor 8, and then transferred to the transfer conveyor 10 that straddles the second drive roller conveyor 4 in the same manner as described above. The actuation transfers it onto the drive belt conveyor 6 of the second conveyor device 5 and then pools it onto its free roller conveyor 7.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned operation is performed three times from the upstream end.
the fourth and fourth (downstream end) conveyor devices 5;
5 is repeated, and the tire assemblies W, W, . . . are pooled in order on the free roller conveyor 7 of each conveyor device 5. Finally, the tire assemblies W, W, ... pooled on the conveyor device 5 at the downstream end are stopped by the replenishment signal from the sensor (the signal that the previous tire assembly W was lifted by the trolley conveyor 20). When the member 19 is opened, it is carried from the free roller conveyor 7 onto the delivery drive belt conveyor 9, and the trolley conveyor 20 is carried by the conveyor 9.
It is hoisted up and supplied to the vehicle assembly line.

Therefore, in this case, a transfer conveyor 10 is provided at the intersection of the drive belt conveyor 6 of each conveyor device 5 and the first and second drive roller conveyors 3 and 4, and the transfer conveyor 10 Since the tire assemblies W, W, ... on the first and second drive roller conveyors 3, 4 are transferred to the drive belt conveyor 6, the pooling capacity of the tire assemblies W, W, ... as a whole is reduced. Therefore, the space occupied by the conveyor corner formed by the conveyor device 5 and the first and second drive roller conveyors 3, 4 can be narrowed by reducing the interval between the conveyor devices 5, 5. Many tire assemblies W, W, ... can be pooled in a small space.

Also, without using expensive drive roller conveyors,
Since an inexpensive drive belt conveyor 6 and free roller conveyor 7 are used instead, it can be manufactured at a low cost.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, but also includes various modifications. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the transfer conveyor 10 is formed of a belt conveyor, but other types of scraper conveyor may be used. It may be modified, and the same effects as in the above embodiment can be achieved.

Further, in the above embodiment, the drive roller conveyor 2 is used as a conveyor that connects the tire assembly process 1 and the first drive roller conveyor 3, but a downward slope free roller conveyor may be used.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the downstream end portion of each conveyor device 5 except for the downstream end conveyor device 5 is configured with an auxiliary drive roller conveyor 8, but by increasing the inclination angle of each free roller conveyor 7, Of course, the auxiliary drive roller conveyor 8 may be omitted.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the first and second
The number of conveyor devices 5, 5, ... installed between the drive roller conveyors 3, 4 was set to four, but depending on the installation space, required pool capacity, etc., it may be more than five or three.
Needless to say, the value may be increased or decreased below the base value.

In addition, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied not only to automobile tire assembly supply lines as in the above-mentioned embodiments, but also to conveyance lines for various articles.

As explained above, according to the pool conveyor of the present invention, two driving roller conveyors for conveying articles in the same direction are arranged in parallel to each other, and between the two conveyors, an uphill driving belt conveyor and a downhill driving belt conveyor are arranged. A plurality of conveyor devices each consisting of a free roller conveyor that pools articles on a slope are arranged in parallel with the drive belt conveyor and free roller conveyor alternately arranged, and each drive roller conveyor and each conveyor device are arranged in parallel. A transfer conveyor is provided at the intersection with the drive belt conveyor to transfer the articles on the drive roller conveyor to the drive belt conveyor side, and a stopper member is provided near the downstream end of the free roller conveyor of each conveyor device to transfer the articles. Since the article is conveyed in a zigzag manner, the space at each corner portion when conveying articles in a zigzag manner can be narrowed, and a large number of articles can be pooled in a small space. In addition, we avoid frequent use of high-priced drive roller conveyors and instead use inexpensive drive belt conveyors and free roller conveyors.
It is possible to reduce the cost of the pool conveyor.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an overall plan view, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are A of FIG.
4 is an enlarged plan view of the transfer conveyor portion, and FIG. 5 is a view taken in the direction C of FIG. 4. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Tire assembly assembly process, 3... First drive roller conveyor, 4... Second drive roller conveyor, 5... Conveyor device, 6... Drive belt conveyor, 7... Free roller conveyor, 10... Transfer conveyor, 19... Stopper Member, 20... Trolley conveyor, W... Tire assembly (article).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of conveyor devices each consisting of an upwardly sloped drive belt conveyor and a downwardly sloped free roller conveyor connected to the conveyor, each of which has alternating arrangement of the drive belt conveyor and free roller conveyor and is substantially parallel to each other. first and second drive roller conveyors that convey articles in substantially the same direction as each other are disposed at both ends of the plurality of conveyor devices, and the drive roller conveyors and the drive belt conveyor of each conveyor device are connected A transfer conveyor is disposed at the intersection to change the conveyance direction of the article on the drive roller conveyor toward the drive belt conveyor, and a stopper member for restricting the movement of the article is provided near the bottom of the free roller conveyor of each of the above-mentioned conveyor devices. A pool conveyor characterized in that it is configured to convey articles in a zigzag manner.