JPS63106213A - Tray changer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry an object continuously in/out of a working machine, by providing a tray containing section in the machine body and moving a selected tray to a desired boxing position through a carry in/out means arranged at the opposite side from a carry in/out port. CONSTITUTION:A tray table 13 and a stopper for stopping forward motion of tray are provided in both supports 11 of a rack 1, and a tray lifting/retracting device 3 is arranged at the opposite side from the carry in/out face of the tray. The tray lifting/retracting device 3 comprises a lift motor 31, a lift screw 36, a retractable table 39, etc., where a front stopper release mechanism, a tray carry in/out mechanism and a tray positioning mechanism are assembled onto the tray retraction table 39 which is moved up and down through rotation of the lift screw 36. With such arrangement, carry-in and carry-out work of tray can be carried out simultaneously.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a tray supply, removal, and stocker device used for storing relatively small items in factories, offices, warehouses, and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tray changer that takes out or stores trays containing boxed articles from a stocker.

<Prior Art> As a conventional technique for automating the handling of trays, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 108622/1989, previously filed by the present applicant, is known. This tray changer transports trays stacked in a drawer shape using a wagon, docks the wagon on one lifter, moves the work platform of one lifter up and down, and takes out trays at will to remove parts. It is used for packaging.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, depending on the arrangement of mechanical equipment and the content of the work, a wagon may not necessarily be necessary, and trays may be stocked using racks. The present invention provides a tray changer that can arbitrarily take out a tray from a rack in which the tray is stored and box parts in the tray without interrupting the operation of a working machine.

<Means for solving the problem> A machine body, a storage space part for storing trays in the machine body, a tray storage part in which the storage space part is partitioned into a plurality of spaces for storing trays, a loading/unloading port provided at one opening of the tray storage section; a loading/unloading means provided at the other side of the loading/unloading port for loading and unloading a selected tray from the tray storage section; It is equipped with a transportation means to move it to the desired position.

<Function> There is a storage space in the body of the machine for storing trays, the storage space is partitioned into a plurality of spaces for storing trays, and a loading/unloading port is provided at one opening of the tray storage. loading and unloading trays from the storage section, loading and unloading selected trays from the tray storage section using a loading/unloading means provided on the opposite side of the loading/unloading entrance, and moving the selected trays to a boxing position for desired articles. move by means.

<Example> Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Real "L biography Σ summary" L What is shown in FIG. 1 is an external view showing an outline of the present invention.

The tray changer of the present invention includes a rack 1 and a tray 2.
, an elevating retractable bag W3, an elevating motor 31, and the like.

Next to the tray changer, a robot 5 is shown as a handling means for loading and unloading articles loaded on the tray 2. The robot 5 aligns and selects articles in the tray 2 pulled out from the rack 1 based on position information from a control device within the robot 5 to take out or store the articles.

The tray 2 is supplied and removed from the rear of the rack 1 by a worker or by a transport means such as a forklift if it is a heavy object.
Manufacturing System>,
FMC (Flexible Manufacturer)
FAS (F
factory automation system
m>, the tray 2 is automatically supplied and removed using a self-propelled transfer robot or the like. The trays 2 stacked and housed in the rack 1 are positioned at arbitrary positions by the lifting motor 3 and taken out forward by the lifting device. The robot 5 takes out articles from the tray 2 and supplies them to the working machine, or stores the articles from the working machine into the tray 2. This robot 5 is a well-known robot and its details will not be disclosed.

2 is a front view of the rack 1 with the cover removed. The vertical columns 11, which are the frame of the rack 1, are composed of four pieces together with the cross beams 12 to form a rectangular body. Both the vertical column 11 and the horizontal beam 12 are made by welding U-shaped steel, L-shaped steel, or the like. In order to facilitate assembly and transportation, these shaped steels may be connected by removable coupling means such as bolts.

In this embodiment, one L-shaped tray 13 is fixed in six stages inside both vertical columns 11, and one tray 13 in six stages is used. Depending on the purpose, any number of stages greater than or equal to two may be used. Each tray 13 is provided with rollers 14, and the rollers 14 move the tray 2 smoothly. A plurality of rollers 14 are provided in one tray 13 in the moving direction of the tray 2.

However, even a sliding type without the roller 14 can essentially fulfill its function. Furthermore, since the roller 14 performs the same function whether it is attached to the tray 2 or the rack 1, it can be attached to either.

The vertical column 11 further includes a front trace stopper device 60 (details will be described later) that has a function of stopping the forward movement of the tray 2. The tray 2 is loaded from the right side in FIG. As described above, although not shown, the tray 2 may be placed on the roller 14 by a known means such as a forklift, a self-propelled transport robot, or a stationary robot, or by an operator directly placing the tray 2 on the shelf.

A tray lifting/lowering device 3 is provided on the side opposite to the loading/unloading surface. The tray lifting/lowering device 3 includes a lifting motor 31, a lifting screw 36, a tray pulling table 39, and the like. The tray pull-in table 39 is moved up and down by a lifting motor 31 that drives a lifting screw 36 . The elevating motor 31 of this embodiment is a motor used for control such as a stepping motor or a DC servo motor. However, a method of controlling and using a general-purpose motor may also be used. The output shaft of the lifting motor 31 is keyed to the pulley 32.

The pulley 32 is connected to a toothed belt 34. The toothed belt 34 is further connected to a pulley 35, and a part of the toothed belt 34 is connected to an idle pulley 33 to absorb slack in the toothed belt 34. Power transmission between the elevating motor 31 and the elevating screw 36 may be done by gears, chains, etc. instead of the toothed belt 34. Although the elevating screw 36 is a ball screw in this embodiment, it is not limited to this. It may be a square screw or the like, or it may be a hanging type elevating device using a chain, a timing belt, etc. by connecting a speed reducer to a motor without using screws.

The pulley 35 is keyed to a lift screw 36.

The lift screw 36 is rotatably supported at the bottom of the rack 1 by a lift screw receiver 37. A lifting nut 38 is threadedly coupled to the lifting screw 36. A tray retracting stand 39 is fixed to the elevating nut 38. Therefore, the tray retracting table 39 is moved up and down by the rotational drive of the elevating motor 31. The weight of the tray retracting stand 39 is supported by a balance weight 40. balance weight 4
0 is supported movably in the same direction as the vertical column 11.

This movement is guided by two guide rods 41, 41 passed through guide holes formed in the balance weight 40. The balance weight 40 has a link chain 4
2 are connected at one end. The link chain 42 meshes with two sprocket wheels 43, 43 on the crossbeam 12, and the direction of movement of the link chain 42 is 36.
It is changing by 0°. The weight of the balance weight can be adjusted by the weight of the tray retracting stand 39.

The other end of the link chain 42 is connected to a link connecting base 44 of the tray retracting base 39. balance weight 41
always supports the weight of the tray retracting base 39, and the lifting screw 3
It plays the role of reducing the burden on 6. The weight of the tray retracting stand 39 is the balance weight 40 shown here.
However, well-known hydraulic or pneumatic support may also be used without departing from the gist of the present invention.

The tray 2 carried in from the rear of the rack 1 rolls on the rollers 14 as described above, and stops when it hits the front stop surface 63 of the front stopper 61. The rear of the tray 2 is stopped by a front stopper mechanism 70 (described later). Therefore, under normal conditions, tray 2 is placed in rack 1.
It doesn't move inside. When the tray 2 is called by a command from the tray changer control device, the tray pull-in table 39 is positioned at a predetermined number of trays 2.

A front stopper release mechanism 50 is mounted on the tray retracting stand 39.
A front stopper driving cylinder 51 is provided to be swingable about a shaft 52. Front stopper drive cylinder 51
A link 53 is screwed to the piston. A rotary link 55 is rotatably connected to the link 53 via a shaft 54. A shaft 56 is fixed to the rotation link 55 with a bolt. A gear 57 is connected to the shaft 56 . Furthermore, the gear 57 meshes with another gear 58. This gear 58 includes a stopper drive link 5
9 is fixed, and a bottle 61 is provided at the tip.

The bin 61 is in contact with the front stopper 7 flange 64 during operation. (State in the figure) When not in operation, the bin 61 and the stopper drive link 59 are in standby at 18° opposite positions due to the operation of the front stopper drive cylinder 51. A coil spring 65 is interposed between the front stopper flange 64 and the single tray 13. The coil spring 65 always pushes up the front stopper flange 64. Therefore, the front stopper 62 normally functions to stop the movement of the tray 2.

When removing the front stopper 62, the bin 61 pushes down the front stopper flange 64 to release the tray 2.

t1 Part Stopper Mechanism 70 (Figure 4.6) The tray 2 placed in the rack 1 is stopped from moving forward by the front stopper mechanism 60.The tray 2 placed in the rack 1 is stopped from moving backward by the rear stopper mechanism 70. Figure 4 shows the rear stopper mechanism 7.
FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view showing the entirety of 0.

The tray 2 is stopped by directly contacting the rear stopper surface 71. The rear stopper surface 71 is a flat surface, and one end thereof is fixed to the stopper series movement shaft 73 with a screw 72.

The rear stopper surface 71 is fixed to a stopper series movement shaft 73 corresponding to the number of stages of the tray 2. The stopper moving shaft 73 is rotatably supported by the vertical column 11 by a support bearing 74. A lever 77 is attached to the stopper series moving shaft 73, and is configured to be manually rotated about the axis of the stopper series moving shaft 73.

When placing the tray 2 in the rack 1, the lever 77 is pushed upward to move the stopper link shaft 73 to slide within the support bearing 74, enter the receiving groove 76 of the stopper receiver 75, and lock it. In this state, the tray 2 is put in and taken out of the rack 1, and when the tray 2 is put in and taken out, the lever 77 is grasped and the tray 2 is returned to the same state as described above.

What is shown in FIG. 7 is a plan view of the tray retracting stand 39. Above the tray pull-in table 39 are the aforementioned front stopper release machine t1450, a tray loading/unloading mechanism 80 for loading and unloading the tray 2 from the rack 2 into the tray pull-in table 39, and a tray 2
A positioning mechanism 100 for positioning is incorporated therein.

The tray retraction mechanism 80 includes two sprocket wheels 8
1.82, a nine-sprocket wheel 81 consisting of an idle sprocket wheel 84, a drive belt 86, etc.;
The link chain 8 is connected to the sprocket wheel 82.
It is connected by 3. In order to adjust the deflection of the link chain 83, an idle sprocket wheel 84 is provided approximately in the middle of both sprocket wheels 81, 82 and meshed with the link chain 83.

The idle sprocket wheel 84 is connected to the tray retracting base 3
9 is rotatable via a bearing and is provided so as to be movable in the plane direction of the three tray pull-in tables. This plane movement is performed by adjusting the adjustment bolt 85.
Adjust the deflection. A tray drive bin 88 is fixed to the link chain 83 via a mounting body 87. The tray drive bin 88 engages with the lower surface of the tray 2 to move the tray 2.

The sprocket wheel 81 is driven by a motor via a flat belt 86. The flat belt 86 connects to the tray pull-in base 39
It is provided on the lower surface of the link chain 83, that is, on the back side of the link chain 83. A tray drive bin 88 (not shown) moves between the sprocket wheels 81 , 82 and drives the tray 2 . This tray retraction mechanism may use a timing belt, or a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder instead of a chain.

-) 萱゛... The tray positioning mechanism 100 is a mechanism that positions and fixes the tray 2 pulled onto the tray retracting base 39 onto the tray retracting base 39. The positioning bin 101 is inserted into a positioning hole in the bottom of the tray 2 from the back surface of the tray pull-in base 39 so as to move perpendicularly to the surface of the tray pull-in base 39 . The positioning bin 101 is driven by a pneumatic cylinder, a screw feed by a rotary motor, a solenoid, or the like. (Not shown) <Operation of Embodiment> This embodiment has the above structure and operates as follows.

a9 The operator grasps the lever 77 and moves it upward while rotating the stopper series moving shaft 73 and moves the receiver into the groove 76.

b0 Place a new tray 2 on the roller 14 of the tray 1 with the loaded article loaded with the work or the tray 2 with the article discharged. The tray 2 placed on the roller 14 is
It hits the front stopper surface 63 and stops.

c. Grasp the lever 77 in the reverse direction of a and return it to its original position to stop the tray 2 from moving backwards.

d. Upon receiving an origin return signal from an external source such as the robot 5, the lifting motor 31 operates, and the tray retracting table 39 moves to return to a predetermined mechanical origin position and wait.

e. When an arbitrary tray 2 is called by an external signal, the lifting motor 31 operates again to rotate the lifting screw 36 and position the tray pull-in table 39 at a predetermined number of stages. (The detailed positioning device and structure are well-known techniques as shown in the prior art, so they will be omitted.) , shaft 54, rotation link 55, shaft 56, gear 57, gear 58,
In conjunction with the stopper drive link 59, the bin 61 pushes the front stopper flange 64, and the front stopper 62 is pushed down, allowing the tray 2 to move.

g.) The motor of the leh unloading machine mso is activated and the link chain 83 begins to move. The tray drive bin 88 hooks the engaging part on the bottom of the tray 2 to move the tray 2 to the rack 1.
Pull it out and place it on the tray pull-in table 39.

h. After confirming that tray 2 is in the designated position,
The tray positioning mechanism 100 operates and the positioning bin 10
1 enters the positioning hole of the tray 2 and completes positioning on the tray retracting stand 39.

i. The lifting motor 31 operates to raise and lower the tray retracting table 39 to the working height of the robot 5, and sends a completion signal.

j. When the robot completes its work and issues a work signal for the next tray 2, it returns the completed tray 2 to its original stage in the same manner as described above, takes out the next tray, and repeats the same work.

Other Embodiments The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various design changes can be made within the scope of the basic technical idea of the present invention. An example of the change is shown below.

a. In the above embodiment, the rack 1 is made up of stacked single shelves, but the tray storage sections are arranged in a matrix.

The tray lifting/lowering device is movable in two axes, and can arbitrarily take out trays from the matrix-like shelves. (not shown) b. What is shown in FIG. 8 is the front stopper mechanism 60.
This is a modified example. The front stopper 111 has a front section I to a tube surface 112, and this surface contacts the tray 2 to stop the tray. The front stopper 111 is the piston 11
'3. The piston 113 is connected to the rotation prevention shaft 11
5 to prevent the piston 113 from rotating. A coil spring 114 is interposed between one end of the piston 113 and the end surface of the cylinder.

The front stopper 111 is normally a coil spring 11.
4 pushes the piston 113 upward. Therefore, tray 2 will not move. Tray retracting stand 39
When moving and retracting the tray 2, pressure oil is applied to the chamber opposite to the coil spring 114, and the piston 113 is pushed down against the coil spring 114, thereby retracting the front stopper 111. In this embodiment, a front stopper release mechanism is not required, simplifying the mechanism.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, the present invention has the following effects.

a. Since the rack 1 for storing the trays 2 and the tray lifting/lowering device 3 are integrated, it is optimal as a device constituting an FMS.

b. Since the tray 2 is carried in and out from the rear of the rack stand 1 and carried into and out of the working machine from the front, packing work into trays can be carried out without interrupting the carrying of articles into and out of the working machine.

The installation area of C1 is as narrow as the area of two barres 1-.

d.) Small batch production of 2 units is possible.

e. Since it operates by simple signal exchange, it is easy to connect with existing equipment.

f.) By providing individual markings on trays, production management for each tray can be performed, and it is possible to cope with high-mix, low-volume production.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall external view of an embodiment of the tray changer of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the embodiment. Figure 3 shows
The left side view of an Example is shown. Figure 4 shows the rear stopper mechanism seen from the right side. FIG. 5 is a detailed enlarged view of the front stopper mechanism and the front stopper release mechanism, and FIG. 6 is a detailed enlarged view of the rear stopper mechanism of FIG. 4. FIG. 7 shows the tray loading/unloading mechanism 80.
, FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the front stopper mechanism. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Rack, 2... Tray, 3... Tray retracting device, 5... Robot, 50... Front stopper release mechanism, 60... Front stopper mechanism, 70... Rear Stopper mechanism, 80...Tray loading/unloading mechanism, 1
00...Tray positioning mechanism Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] A machine body, a storage space section for storing trays in the machine body, a tray storage section partitioned into a plurality of spaces for storing trays, and a tray storage section provided in one opening of the tray storage section. a loading/unloading means provided on the opposite side of the loading/unloading entrance for loading and unloading a selected tray from the tray storage section; and a moving means for moving the selected tray to a desired working position. A tray changer characterized by being equipped with and.