JPS629838A - Parts incorporating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a plurality of parts to be forced continuously into works by transferring an incorporating unit between a station for supplying a cartridge holding in order a plurality of parts and an incorporating station for forcing the parts into the work. CONSTITUTION:Near a conveyer 1 for transferring woks W is provided a parts supplying station S2 at the side of an incorporating station S1, and an incorporating unit U is provided movable between both stations S1 and S2. The parts supplying station S2 is provided with an index type table 4 horizontally rotated, and total 12 cartridges C (C1, C2, C3) are disposed at equal intervals circumferentially on the table 4, the respective cartridges C1, C2, C3 having four cartridges. The incorporating unit U is held at an end of an arm 3 of a indirect type robot R.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention provides a parts assembling device for transferring parts from a supply station to an assembling station and press-fitting the parts into a workpiece at this assembling station. It is related to.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in order to press-fit parts into workpieces that are sequentially transported to an assembly station, a press-fitting machine is conventionally provided so as to be movable between a parts supply station and an assembly station.
After the parts are press-fitted at the assembly station, the press-fitting machine is repeatedly returned to the supply station to pick up the parts for the next press-fitting.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) However, in the conventional method, the press-fitting machine must be returned to the supply station after press-fitting one part. In other words, after each press-fitting Since the press-fitting machine must be moved back and forth between the supply station and the assembly station, work efficiency has been extremely poor. In particular, recently, it has become common to press-fit a plurality of parts into one workpiece, and some kind of countermeasure is desired to improve work efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a parts assembling apparatus that allows a plurality of parts to be press-fitted in an assembling station by transferring the parts once from a supply station to an assembling station.

(Means for Solving the Problems, Work J'13) In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention basically utilizes a cartridge in which a plurality of parts are aligned and held. The number of parts held in the cartridge is taken as one unit, and the two assembly stations can perform continuous full-scale work for the number of parts that are made into one unit. In other words, if the number of parts held in the cartridge is n (n is an integer of 2 or more), then the movement and rotation between the supply station and the assembly station should be 1/n of the conventional one. I can do it. Specifically, the configuration is as follows. That is, the assembly unit is provided with an assembly unit that is movable between a supply station for supplying a cartridge holding a plurality of parts in alignment and an assembly station for press-fitting the parts into a workpiece. An assembly unit includes: a press-fitting machine for press-fitting parts into a work; a holding mechanism for holding the cartridge; and a part for directing the parts in the cartridge held by the holding mechanism toward a positive space of the press-fitting machine. and a positioning mechanism that is movable forward and backward toward the press-fitting space and that positions the component pushed out from inside the cartridge at a predetermined position in the press-fitting space.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In Fig. 1, ■ is a conveyor that conveys the workpiece W;
This conveyor 1 is intermittently fed so as to stop for a predetermined time at a parts assembly station S1, and a plurality of parts are press-fitted (assembled) into a workpiece W at this assembly station S1. ing. and,
In the embodiment, the workpiece W is an OHC type engine, and one component is a tubular pin for positioning. More specifically, a bearing member for assembling and holding an engine's camshaft to a cylinder head is assembled as a component in a predetermined positional relationship to the cylinder head. The tubular pin for positioning is press-fitted into this cylinder head portion in advance. Since the above-mentioned bearing members are fixed at two locations for one engine, and a total of five bearing members are used, a total of ten tubular pins are used for one engine. Of course, one end of this tubular pin is press-fitted into the ten positioning holes 2 pre-formed in the cylinder head, and the other end is also fitted into the bearing member in a later stroke. As a result, the bearing member is assembled to the engine in a predetermined positional relationship.

Near the conveyor l for transporting the work W, there is a parts supply station S2 on the side of the assembly station Sl.
An assembly unit U is provided and is movable between the two stations Sl and 32. In the embodiment, this assembly unit U is an indirect robot R.
It is held at the tip of arm 3 of.

The component supply station S2 includes an index-type table 4 that is horizontally rotated, and a total of 12 cartridges c (c
i, C2, C3) are arranged, and this cartridge C is
There are three types of cartridges CI, C2, and C3 depending on the diameter of the component (diameter of the positioning hole 2), and there are four cartridges each of CI, C2, and C3. In the embodiment, the cartridge CI is for a component diameter (outer diameter) of 9 mm, C2 is for a 10 mm component, and C3 is for a 12 mm component, and each cartridge C1, C2, The arrangement relationship of C3 is as shown in the figure.

In the following explanation, the symbol "C" will be used when referring to cartridges generically, and "C1,""C2," or "C3" will be used only when distinguishing between the above types of cartridges.
shall be used. Further, in FIG. 1, the cartridge C filled with the component B is shown by a solid line, and the empty cartridge C is shown by a broken line.

Near the periphery of the table 4, on the side opposite to the conveyor 1, there are three component supply devices F1. F2 and F3 are installed, and these component supply devices F1, F2, and F3 supply five parts to the corresponding cartridges C1, C2, and C3, respectively.
This is for supplying parts B one by one. That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the cartridge C has a component storage hole that is closed on the left and right sides and on the top and bottom, and is open in the front and rear directions (left and right directions in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5). 5, and one end opening of this storage hole 5 is used as an entrance 5a for the component B. As a result, five parts B can be stored in series in the storage hole 5 through the entrance 5a, and removal from the other end opening of the storage hole 5 is regulated by the stopper pin 6. It looks like this. Each cartridge C is positioned at a predetermined position on the table 4 by fitting a pair of seven pins 7 protruding from the table 4 into a pair of positioning holes 8 opened in the cartridge C. The opening 5a is held stationary along the plate surface of the table 4 at a position such that the entrance 5a faces outward in the radial direction of the table 4.

Since each of the component supply devices Fl, F2, and F3 have the same configuration, an example thereof will be explained with reference to FIG. 2, focusing on the component supply device F1 for the cartridge C1. This parts supply device FI has a wide conveyor 9 that extends toward the vicinity of the outer peripheral edge of the table 4. Immediately above the conveyor 9, a pair of left and right guides 10, a parts transfer table 11, a stopper 12, and a pushing cylinder are arranged. 13 are arranged. The guide 10 and the stopper 12 are arranged in series from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the conveyor 9 on the − side in the width direction of the conveyor 9, and the transfer table 11 is moved across the width of the conveyor 9 by means of a cylinder device 14. It is reciprocated in the direction by a predetermined stroke and moved back and forth between the guide 10 and the stopper 11. This transfer table 11 has a pair of left and right guide parts 11a that are integrated at the upper part of each other, and the pair of left and right guide parts r.
1. The number regulation space 11b formed in avJ is part B.
The length is such that five can be stored in series. As a result, while the transfer table 11 is at the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. When the first part B is in contact with the stopper 12, the number regulation space 11b
Five parts B are stored in series inside.

After that, when the transfer table 11 is driven toward the other stroke end indicated by the dashed line in FIG.
The five side parts B arranged in series are transferred in the width direction of the conveyor 9. At this other stroke end, the pushing cylinder 13 and the cartridge C1 are arranged in series with each other with the transfer table 11 in between. When the part B is pushed out, five parts are supplied and stored in the cartridge C1 via the intermediate guide 15. Note that when the transfer table 11 is at the other stroke end, its shutter portion 11c keeps the downstream end of the guide lO cold, and the conveyor 9 is placed at the other stroke end when the transfer table 11 is at the other stroke end as shown by the solid line in FIG. It is driven for a predetermined time only when it is at the end of its stroke.

Next, the assembly 22) U will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. This assembly unit U has a main body 21 held at the tip of the arm 3 of the robot R, and a press-fitting machine 22 is configured in the main body 21. This press-fitting machine 22 has a press-fitting head 23 that is slidably fitted into a vertically extending cylinder part 22a formed in a main body 21, and the upper end of this press-fitting head 23 is connected to the cylinder part 23a.
The piston rod 24& of the press-fitting cylinder device 24 is fixed to the upper end of the piston rod 24&, and is integrated with the piston rod 24&. The press-fitting head 23 has a cylindrical shape as a whole, and has a small diameter portion 23a at its tip, and this small diameter portion 23a includes:
An inner holding shaft 25 and a cylindrical outer holding shaft 26 are slidably fitted on the inner circumferential side and on the outer circumferential side thereof, respectively. This inner holding shaft 25 is fixed to the press-fit head 23 by a stopper portion 25a having a large-diameter head shape.
It is restricted from being displaced more than a predetermined amount downwardly, and is urged downwardly by a spring 27. The outer holding shaft 26 also has a locking pin 28 integrated therein.
is loosely fitted into a guide hole 23b formed on the side surface of the press-fit head 23, and can be vertically displaced relative to the press-fit head 23 only within the range of the guide hole 23b. It is urged downward by 29.

O-ring-shaped retaining rings 30 and 31 made of an elastic body are fitted and retained on the outer layer of the lower end of the inner retaining shaft 25 at a small distance vertically from each other. Further, the inner periphery of the lower end of the outer holding shaft 26, which has a cylindrical shape, is provided with an O made of an elastic material.
A ring-shaped retaining ring 32 is fitted and retained. The two retaining rings 30 and 31 are each tightly fitted to the inner periphery of the annular component B and maintain this fitted state using their elastic force.
is for 10mm part B, and the retaining ring 31 is 9mm.
It is said to be used for part B. In addition, the retaining ring 32 has a length of 12 m.
It is tightly fitted to the outer periphery of part B of m, and this fitted state is maintained using its elastic force. Note that both holding shafts 25 and 26 are attached to part B by the press-fitting head 23.
Before pressing (press-fitting) the retaining ring 30.31
Alternatively, in the press-fit standby state shown in FIG. 2 in which the press-fit head 23 is at the end of its upward stroke, each of the retaining rings 30, 31 and 32 is moved downwardly relative to the press-fit head 23, so that the parts B7Ft can be fitted and held by the parts B7Ft and 32. Being located.

The main body 21 further includes a holding mechanism 41 for the cartridge C.
It is equipped with The holding mechanism 41 includes a pair of left and right clamp claws 42 that hold the cartridge C from the left and right directions when the cartridge C is positioned in the holding recess 21b formed on the bottom surface of the main body 21. As shown in FIG. 4, each of the clamp claws 42 is swingable around a fulcrum pin 43 provided in the main body 21, and a bottle 45 is inserted into a long hole 44 formed at one end of each of the clamp claws 42.
is inserted. The bottle 45 is fixed to a sliding plate 46 that is vertically slidable in a guide hole 21c formed in the main body 21, and is fixed to a cylinder device 47 provided in the main body 21.
By moving this sliding plate 46, ie, the bin 45 up and down, the clamp claw 42 is opened and closed. In addition, the cartridge C has the above-mentioned four holding parts z.
It has a positioning hole 49 (see also FIGS. 2 and 5) into which a pair of dowel pins 48 (see FIG. 4) protruding from the main body 21 are fitted when positioned inside the main body 21. both 48
49, the cartridge C is held in a predetermined position in the holding recess 21b in a predetermined posture.

The cartridge C held in the holding recess 21b is
More specifically, the inlet/outlet 5a is directed toward the press-fitting space, that is, directly below the press-fitting head 23 of the press-fitting machine 22.
The arrangement direction of the five parts B in the cartridge C arranged in series extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis O of the press-fitting machine 22.

An extrusion mechanism 51 is provided to extrude the component B in the cartridge C toward the press-fitting space. This extrusion mechanism 51 utilizes compressed air, and therefore, a cartridge C is provided in the rear regulating wall 21d of the main body 21, that is, in the portion that constitutes the rear end of the holding recess 21d.
An air Suita port 52 facing from the rear is provided in the parts storage hole 5.

An air pipe 53 is connected to the air suita port 52, and an electromagnetic on-off valve 54 held in the main body 21 is connected in the middle of the air pipe 53. As a result, when the on-off valve 54 is opened and compressed air is blown out from the air outlet 52, the parts B in the cartridge C are pushed out as a whole toward the inlet/outlet 5a side.

Entrance/exit 5a for the cartridge C held in the main body 21
A positioning mechanism 61 is configured opposite to the press-fitting space with a press-fitting space in between. This positioning mechanism 61 includes a positioning plate 62 held by the main body 21 so as to be able to move forward and backward toward the press-fitting space, and a cylinder device 63 held by the main body 21 and driving the positioning plate 62 back and forth. There is. This positioning plate 62 has a holding recess 64 that opens toward the distal end, which is formed at the distal end, that is, the press-fitting space side.
The holding recess 64 has a width corresponding to the outer diameter of the component B, and has a pair of left and right locking portions 64a that are tapered in the shape of a bar at its inner depth. It has a lower receiving part 64b that prevents the component B located in the locking recess 64 from falling. This locking recess 64 is
g1 (vertical width in Figure 5) is equal to the outer diameter of one part B,
Also, its front and back length (Fig. 5, left and right length) is one part B.
It is slightly larger than the outer diameter of. Further, the height position of the upper surface of the lower receiving portion 64b is set to be the same height as the bottom surface of the component storage hole 5 of the cartridge C' held in the main body 21, but may be slightly lower. Then, the front end surface of the positioning plate 62 is aligned with the front end surface (
While in contact with the opening end surface of the entrance/exit port 5a, the part B is pushed out into the holding recess 64 and is held in the tapered locking part 6.
4a, the part B in this holding recess 64
The center of the press-fitting machine 22 is made to coincide with the center O of the press-fitting machine 22. Therefore, when the positioning plate 62 is advanced into the press-fitting space and its distal end surface is brought into contact with the front end surface of the cartridge C, compressed air is ejected from the air outlet 52. Of these, the first, i.e. entrance/exit 5
One component B located closest to a is in the holding recess 6
4, and this extruded piece B is stopped at a predetermined position where it abuts on the locking portion 64a. In the embodiment, a pair of left and right air outlets 65 are formed in the positioning plate 62 to blow out compressed air toward the component B that is in the immediate force of the component B in the holding recess 64. After the air for extruding the parts in the cartridge C is supplied, the remaining parts B are ejected from the air outlet 65.
into the cartridge C, and insert the holding recess 64 into the cartridge C.
Only one part B is located in the area.

Here, since the positioning plate 62 is shared by parts B having different diameters, the center of the part B may be aligned with the center line O of the press-fitting machine 22 depending on the difference in the diameter of the part B. In order to match, the positions of the front end faces of the cartridges C held in the main body 21 are set to be different for the cartridges C1, C2, and C3. That is, the front end surface position of the cartridge C3 for the component B with the largest diameter is the position closest to the press-fitting space side, and the front end surface position of the cartridge C3 for the component B of the other diameters
The positions of the front end faces of (C2, C3) are arranged to extend further toward the press-fitting space than the front end face position of cartridge C3, depending on the difference in diameter of component B. By doing so, when the positioning plate 62 is held by the main body 21 and in contact with the front end surface of the cartridge C (C1, C2, C3), it is pushed out into the holding recess 64 and the locking part 64a The center of the part B that comes into contact with the press-fit a22 is always aligned with the center line 0 of the press-fit a22, regardless of the difference in diameter.

Note that, as shown in FIG. 2, the tank table 4 is formed with a recess 4a for preventing the clamp claw 42 from interfering when clamping the cartridge C.

Next, the overall operation of the above-mentioned configuration will be explained. For convenience of explanation, a part B having an outer diameter of 9 mm is mounted on a workpiece W in the assembly station 51 using a cartridge C1.
This will be explained as a representative case of press-fitting into the
The press-fitting of part B with a diameter of 12 mm will be explained by focusing on the differences. First, by rotating the turntable 4, the cartridge C1, in which five parts B each having an outer diameter of 9 mm are aligned and held in series, is moved to the exchange position XI, which is 180 degrees symmetrical to the parts supply device Fl.
(See FIG. 1), and the cartridge CI in the exchange position X1 is shown punched. In this state, the assembly unit U uses the robot R to hold the cartridge C1 at the exchange position xl, and then transports it to a predetermined position of the workpiece W at the assembly station Sl. After or during this transfer, the work W
As shown in FIG.
It is pushed out to a predetermined position in the press-fitting space No. 2. Then, by slightly extending the press-fitting cylinder device 24, the retaining ring 31 is fitted onto the extruded piece B, and after this fitting, the positioning plate 6 of the positioning mechanism 61
2 is moved backward from the press-fitting space (leftward movement in Figure 3).

The part B held by the retaining ring 31 is press-fitted into a22
With the center O of the workpiece W aligned with the axis of the positioning hole 2 of the workpiece W, the workpiece W is press-fitted into the first positioning hole 2 by the press-fitting head 23, which is lowered significantly by further extending the press-fitting cylinder device 24. After this part B is press-fitted, as long as there is part B in the cartridge C1, positioning is performed for the other positioning holes 2 to push out the part B from the cartridge C1, and then the above-mentioned press-fitting is performed sequentially. repeated.

In this way, one cartridge C1 is used five times (
After the five parts B] are successively press-fitted, the assembly unit U is returned to the supply station S2, and an empty cartridge CI is placed (returned) at the replacement position X1. Then, the turntable 4 is rotated 30 degrees clockwise in FIG. Major work like this will be carried out. Of course, in the example, the work W consists of 10 parts B.
Therefore, by using two cartridges C1 (two reciprocations of the assembly unit U), the full-scale work on this workpiece W is completed. In addition, the supply (replenishment) of component B to the empty cartridge C1 is performed by moving the cartridge CI filled with component B to the assembly unit U.
This is done by checking the timing of the transfer to the assembly station Sl. That is, the exchange position Xl
When the cartridge CI is located at , an empty cartridge Ct is always located at the component supply device Fl.

Here, for the cartridge C2 or C3 for the part B with an external diameter of 10 mm or 12 mm, the position 180° symmetrical with the part supply device F2 or F3 is set as the exchange position with the assembly unit U (corresponding to Xi). Or, by controlling the rotation (rotation angle, rotation timing) of the turntable, the replacement position x1 for cartridge C1 is set.
It may also be shared with

Although the embodiments have been described above, the number of parts B stored in the cartridge C can be set to an appropriate number. Furthermore, the types of component B may be one, two, or four or more types. In addition, turntable 4
In the above, the position where the assembly unit U holds the cartridge C may be, for example, the first time as the replacement position x1, and the second time it may be held from the adjacent position, or alternatively, the position where the assembly unit U holds the cartridge C may be the position where it is held and the position where it is returned. The rotation of the turntable 4 may be controlled such that the rotation of the turntable 4 is dedicated to each other separately.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above description, the present invention enables continuous press-fitting of a plurality of parts at the assembly station by transferring the parts from the supply station to the assembly station once. As a result, the number of trips to the supply station to pick up parts can be significantly reduced, greatly improving work efficiency.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial plan view showing an example of a component supply device that supplies components into a cartridge. FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing an example of the assembled unit. Figure 4 shows an example of a cartridge holding mechanism.
FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the cartridge as seen from a direction perpendicular to the component alignment direction. FIG. 5 is a partially sectional plan view showing the relationship between the cartridge and the positioning mechanism. B: Part W: Workpiece Sl2 assembly station S2: Supply station R: Robot C (C1, C2, C3): Cartridge F1, F2, F
3: Parts supply device U: Assembly unit 5: Parts storage hole 5a: Entrance/exit 22: Press-fitting machine 23: Press-fitting head 24: Press-fitting cylinder device 25.26: Holding shaft - 30, 3I, 32: Holding ring 41: Holding Mechanism 42: Clamp claw 51: Extrusion mechanism 52: Air outlet 53: Air pipe 54: Open/close valve 61: Positioning mechanism 62: Positioning plate 63 Nijilinda device

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Equipped with an assembly unit that is movable between a supply station for supplying a cartridge holding a plurality of parts in alignment and an assembly station for press-fitting the parts into the workpiece, An assembly unit includes: a press-fit machine for press-fitting parts into a workpiece; a holding mechanism for holding the cartridge; and a part for directing the parts in the cartridge held by the holding mechanism toward a press-fit space of the press-fit machine. and a positioning mechanism that is movable forward and backward toward the press-fitting space and that positions the component pushed out from inside the cartridge at a predetermined position in the press-fitting space. Parts assembly equipment.