JPS63127837A - Drop preventing device for fastening member - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the mixing of a dropped fastening member into the inside of a work by installing a fastening member receiving means having a hole for the installation work for the fastening member in the vertical direction for a fastening member holding means. CONSTITUTION:A base plate 39 is fixed onto a supporting plate 15. The base plate 39 has an air cylinder fixedly through a bracket 39a, and a receiving plate 41 is screwed through a suspending member 41a onto the plunger 40a of the air cylinder 40. A plurality of guide rods 41b are planted onto the suspending member 41a, and the receiving plate 41 can be raised and lowered when the guide rod 41b is guided by a guide hole 39b formed on the bracket 39a. A hole 41c into which the top edge part 2a of a suction pipe 22 is inserted is drilled in the vertical direction of the suction pipe 22 of the receiving plate 41. When the hole 41c is opened, screw fastening by a driver bit is carried out.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention provides a fastening method for preventing a fastening member held by a gripping device from falling from the gripping device in an automatic workpiece assembly device. This invention relates to a device for preventing members from falling.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, automatic machines for screw fastening are generally used in production lines for electrical equipment, etc., to position fastening members such as screws at desired positions on the electrical equipment, and to fasten predetermined members. There is. This type of automatic machine requires a gripping means such as a screw.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a fastening member gripping section used in a conventional automatic machine, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the operating state of the gripping means. In this figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a supply feeder, and this supply feeder 1 is formed with a moving member 1a through which a screw 2, which is a fastening member, is fed. Further, a plate 3 is disposed facing the tip end 1b of the supply feeder 1, and a receiving plate 4 having a notch 4b formed therein is pivotally supported on the plate 3. Further, above the receiving plate 4, there is a gripping device 5 for gripping the screw 2 by suction.
is disposed, and the screw rotating means 6 is mounted in the hollow portion 5b of the gripping device 5.

With this configuration, the sliding movement H1's 18 of the supply feeder 1
When the screw 2 is supplied to the notch 4b of the receiving plate 4, the tip 5a of the gripping device 5, which starts suctioning air, descends and suctions the head of the screw 2, thereby removing the screw 2. grasp. This gripping device 5 further descends while gripping the screw 2 while preventing the supply feeder 1 from supplying the next screw with the side surface of the tip 5a, and uses the seat surface of the screw 2 to prevent the screw from being supplied to the next screw. When the receiving plate 4 is pressed and swung downward about the pivot point of the receiving plate 4, and the screw 2 is positioned at the desired position of the electrical equipment, the hollow portion 5b of the gripping device 5 is The rotating means 6 attached to the electric device descends to rotate the screw 2 and fasten the predetermined member to the electric device.

In this type of device, as shown in FIG. If the air suction force of the screw 5 is weakened due to clogging of the air filter over time, etc., there is a possibility that the screw 2 may separate from the gripping device 5 and fall into the housing of the electrical equipment or the like.

If the screw 2 that fell into the casing is left unattended, it will cause a failure of the electrical divider, so it must be removed, but it is unclear which part of the casing the screw 2 has fallen into. Not only is it a hassle to find the screw, but the line has to be stopped until the screw is found and removed.
This results in a significant decrease in work efficiency.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the gripping device described above, if foreign matter such as dust gets mixed in between the screw 2 and the gripping device 5, the screw 2 may fall from the gripping device 5, for example. There is a possibility that it will get inside the housing of electrical equipment, etc.

The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned problems and provide a fall prevention device for fastening members that reliably prevents the fastening members from falling into the housing of an electrical divider or the like.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) A fastening member fall prevention device according to the present invention includes a gripping means for gripping a fastening member supplied from a supplying means, and a gripping means for gripping a fastening member supplied from a supplying means, and a means for attaching the fastening member for work. a fastening member receiving means having a hole and provided in a direction perpendicular to the gripping handle; and a work actuator that receives the fastening member from the gripping means and guides the fastening member to a working position on the workpiece and performs the mounting operation. It is equipped with the following.

(Function) The fastening member fall prevention device configured as described above is provided with a fastening member receiving means in the vertical direction of the gripping means to prevent the fastening member from accidentally falling from the gripping means and getting mixed into the workpiece. This is to prevent this from happening.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a fastening member fall prevention device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of the same device, and FIG. 3 is a side view showing a fastening member grip corresponding to FIG. 6. It is a diagram. In this embodiment, a screw is used as an example of a fastening member, and a case where the present invention is applied to an automatic screw tightening device will be described, but the fall prevention device for a fastening member according to the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. .

In this embodiment, the working actuator main body 11. Fastening member supply means 12. In an automatic assembly machine having a table 13 as a main part which can integrally move the main body 11 and the fastening member supply means 12, the working actuator main body 1
1, a fastening member receiving means 14 is provided in the vertical direction. The details will be explained below.

A support plate 15 is fixed to the table 13 via an upwardly erected bracket 18 that fixes the supply means 12. This support plate 15 includes plates 15a, 15b, and 15c which are main brackets on which a motor 2'1 as a rotational drive source of the work actuator 11 and an air cylinder for vertically moving the work actuator 11 are provided.
is permanently installed. This plate 15C fixes the air cylinder 17, and the plates 15a and 15b are located above and below the plate 15c and support both ends of a guide rail 20 that guides the vertical movement of the work actuator 12.

The plunge t17a of the air cylinder 17 is the fixed plate 1
One sliding member is attached to the guide rail 20 via the guide rail 7b, and the stopper 20a is attached to the sliding member 1.
The two sliding strokes are regulated, and the vertical working position relative to the workpiece is determined by this. Further, the motor 21 is fixed to the sliding member 19.

A suction vibrator 22 serving as a fastening means is coupled to the motor 21, and a driver bit 26 driven by the motor 21 is provided in a hollow portion 22b of the suction vibrator 22. A tip 22a of the suction vibrator 22 protrudes from a guide plate 23 fixed to the plate 15b. The guide plate 23 has the function of guiding the suction vibrator 22 and also serves as a plate for mounting a receiving plate 28 for receiving screws 25 from the feeder 30, which will be described later. The receiving plate 28 is always urged counterclockwise in FIG. 3 by an elastic member (not shown), and when the suction vibrator 22 is lowered, it is pressed against the urging force of the elastic member. Third
It is designed to rotate as shown by the chain cypress in the figure. Further, this receiving plate 28 is provided with a U-shaped notch 28a.

The motor 21 is equipped with a limit switch 21a for the driver bit 26, and when the driver bit 26 descends by a predetermined stroke, the limit switch 21a senses this downward stroke and operates the motor 21. The bit 26 is rotated. Further, the motor 21 is equipped with a torque sensor and a timer (not shown), and when the screw 25 is rotated by the driver bit 26, if a predetermined torque is not reached within a certain period of time, or if the torque is When the predetermined 1-lux is reached, the system is configured to detect these abnormalities and issue an alarm or flash a lamp to notify the operator.

Next, the supply means 12 is configured as follows, facing the main body of the work actuator 11.

The supply means 12 includes a feeder 30. The originating device 31 is mainly composed of a hopper 32, and this feeder 30 is formed with a sliding groove 30a through which the screw 25 is fed. The terminal end 3ob of this sliding groove 30a is continuous with the U-shaped notch 28a of the receiving plate 28, and the screw 25 fed through the sliding groove 30a is connected to this notch 28a.
A single piece is supplied to 8a. Further, the screw 25 supplied through the sliding groove 30a is configured to be stopped at the side surface of the suction vibrator 22 when the suction vibrator 22 is lowered. Further, a stopper 30G is formed at the tip of this feeder 30, and this stopper 30
c restricts the rotation of the receiving plate 28. Further, this feeder 30 is equipped with an origin device 31, and the feeder 30 is vibrated by this origin device 31, and this vibration causes the screw 25 to move 12! It is supplied by moving through the moving groove 30a.

The feeder 30 is formed by extending the support plate 15 diagonally upward in an appropriate amount, and the extended end communicates with a hopper 32 in which the screws 25 are temporarily collected. This hopper 32 is connected to a support member 33 fixed to the bracket 14.
is fixed.

A hole 33a is formed in this support member 33, and a motor 34 is mounted opposite to this hole 33a. A rotating plate 34a is fixed to the output shaft of the motor 34, and the rotating plate 34a is rotatably inserted into the hole 33a. Further, the motor 34 is attached to this rotary plate 34a.
A shaft 34b is formed eccentrically relative to the output shaft. Further, a lever 36 in which a long hole 36a is formed is pivotally supported on one side of the support member 33.
The shaft 34b is inserted through the shaft 34b to form a slider mechanism, and the lever 36 is configured to swing as the motor 34 rotates. Furthermore, one end of a swinging member 37 is fixed to the swinging end of this lever 36. The free end of this swinging member 37 is inserted into the inside of the hopper 32, and the sliding groove 30 is formed at the tip of the inserted portion.
A groove 37a is formed corresponding to the groove 37a, and the swinging member 37 slides along the outside of the support member 33 formed in an arc shape according to the swinging of the lever 36, and the groove 37a allows the swinging member 37 to slide inside the hopper. The screws 25 accumulated in the feeder 30 are adapted to be engaged with the sliding grooves 30a of the feeder 30 by correcting their posture.

Now, a base plate 39 for mounting a fastening member receiving means according to the present invention is fixed to the support plate 15. That is, the base plate 39 is connected to the bracket 39
An air cylinder 40 is fixedly installed via a, and a receiving tray 41 is screwed to a plunger 40a of the air cylinder 40 via a hanging member 41a. Hanging member 41
A plurality of guide rods 41b are installed in the bracket 39a, and the guide rods 41b are guided through guide holes 39b formed in the bracket 39a, so that the tray 41 can be moved up and down.

In the receiving tray 41, in the vertical direction of the suction vibrator 22, there is a hole 4 through which the distal end 22a of the suction vibrator 22 is inserted.
1G is installed. Further, an air cylinder 44 is fixedly installed in the receiving tray 41, and the hole 41G can be closed or opened with a lid 43 attached to a plunger 44a of the air cylinder 44. Then, when the hole 41c is opened, the screw tightening operation using the driver bit 26 becomes possible. FIG. 4 shows this state.

A guide member 45 made of a soft material is attached to the lower surface of the tray 41 and around the hole 41G. Also,
Below the tray 41 is a workpiece 4 such as electrical equipment.
7 is transported and positioned by a transport device (not shown),
It is supposed to stop.

Next, the operation of the fastening member drop prevention device having the above-described configuration will be explained.

When the workpiece 47 on which the member to be fastened 46 is placed is transported and positioned by a transport device (not shown), the table 1
3 is the work actuator 11. Fastening member supply means 12
and move the tray 41 so that the hole 41C is vertically above the desired screw hole 47a.

Then, the air cylinder 40 starts projecting the plunger 40a, and lowers the tray 41 by a predetermined stroke. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the operating state showing this state. As shown in this figure, the tray 41 descends from the position shown by the solid line to the position shown by the chain line while keeping the hole 41 closed. In this state, the flexible guide member 45 is pressed between the receiving tray 41 and the member to be fastened 46 and is deformed, and the air cylinder 40 is temporarily stopped in this state.

During this time, when the motor 34 rotates and the screw 25 is corrected in its posture by the swinging member 37 and engaged with the sliding groove 30a, the feeder 3o is vibrated by the originating device 31, and this vibration causes the screw 25 to slide. The receiving plate 28 slides through the groove 30a.
A single piece is supplied to the notch 28a. Then, the gripping device 22 descends due to the action of the air cylinder 17, and the tip 2
At 2a, the screw 25 is sucked and gripped. The gripping device 22 regulates the supply of the next screw 25, and also swings the receiving plate 28 to continue lowering.

At this time, foreign matter may get mixed in between the tip 22a and the screw 25, and if this foreign matter gets mixed in, the suction force of the air against the screw 25 will decrease, or the screw 25 will be cut off. Due to the friction when sliding on the notch 28a, the friction between the seat surface and the receiving plate 28, or the existence of an irregular shape in the screw 25 supplied to the notch 28a, the suction force of the air is reduced. The suction force may be insufficient due to leakage from the irregularly shaped portion, and the screw 25 may fall from the tip portion 22a.

Even if the screw 25 falls due to these reasons, the tray 41 is in the direction of the fall of the screw 25.
is arranged, and the falling sill 25 is received by this receiving tray 41, and does not fall into the inside of the work 47.

The tip 22a continues to descend further while retaining the screw 25, and when it comes close to the hole 41C of the tray 41, a timer device (not shown) is activated and the air cylinder 44 fixed in the tray 41 is activated. starts operating and retreats the plunger 1r 44a. This plunger 44
A lid body 43 is attached to a, and this plunge t4
According to the 4u3112 operation of 1a, this lid body 43 retreats and opens the hole 41c. The tip portion 22a is slightly inserted into the hole 41G, and is stopped when the sliding member 19 abuts against the stopper 20a of the guide rail 20. Since this stopper 20a is set to be fixable at any position, the stopping position of the tip portion 22a can be freely set before the operation starts.

When the suction vibrator 22 stops with the screw 25 held at the tip 22a, the hollow part 22 of the suction vibrator 22
The driver bit 26 loosely inserted into the motor 21 starts to move downward, and when the motor 21 has descended by a certain stroke, the limit switch 21a installed in the motor 21 detects this downward stroke and stops the downward movement. This limit switch also starts the operation of the motor 21. The motor 21 that has started operating rotates the driver bit 26 at a constant speed of 1σ and lowers it at a predetermined speed. Then, the tip of the lowered driver bit 26 engages with the head of the screw 25, and as the driver bit 26 is rotated, the screw 25 is rotated and screwed into the screw hole 47a. The motor 21 is equipped with a torque sensor (not shown) and stops rotating when the torque exceeds a certain level, and when the screw 25 is completely screwed in, this completion is sent to the driver bit 26. , this driver bit 26
rotation is stopped.

When the driver bit 26 comes into contact with the head of the screw 25, the screw 25 may fall from the suction vibrator 22 due to the reasons described above. Even if this screw 25 falls, the tip 22a of the suction vibrator 22 will be stuck in the hole 41C.
Since the screw 25 is slightly inserted into the hole 41c, the screw 25 that has fallen remains in the hole 41c at a portion surrounded by the guide member 45 made of the flexible material. Alternatively, the screws 25 that may fall when the suction vibrator 22 grips the screws 25 supplied to the upper second receiving plate 28 are located somewhere in the receiving tray 44, and in either case, the screws 25 may fall. The engagement between the screw 25 and the tip of the driver bit 26 is released.

In this state, the limit switch 21a is activated and the motor 9
21, even if this driver bit 26 rotates, the screw 25 does not rotate, the driver bit 26 rotates under no load, and the torque sensor is not activated. The motor 21 is equipped with a timer (not shown), and if the torque sensor does not operate within a certain period of time, it is determined that there is an abnormality.

When this happens, the driver bit 26 stops rotating and moves up inside the hollow part 22b of the rotating means 22, actuating the limit switch, and the signal from the limit switch stops the driver bit 26 from rising. As the air cylinder 17 moves the plunger 17a backward, the suction vibrator 22 rises a certain distance and is stopped.

Then, measures are taken to notify the worker of this abnormality, such as flashing a lamp or setting off a buzzer.

If the screw 2 falls and remains in the hole 41c,
When the head of No. 5 and the driver bit 26 engage,
This screw 25 cannot be screwed into the screw hole 47a, and even if the driver bit 26 tries to rotate, this screw 25 will not rotate, and the driver bit 26 that is engaged with the head of this screw 25 will also not rotate. Because it cannot rotate,
This driver bit 26 quickly reaches a predetermined torque.

In this case as well, by interlocking with the timer, an abnormal condition in which a predetermined torque has been reached within a short period of time is detected, and the same measures as described above are taken.

The worker who has been notified of the abnormality picks up the fallen screw 25 or, if it does not interfere with the work, leaves it alone and operates the automatic machine again to continue the work. In this case, since the screw 25 that fell is present somewhere in the tray 41 or in a portion surrounded by the guide member 45 of the hole 41G, the operator must remove the screw 25.
5 can be easily found, which not only avoids complicated work for the operator, but also reduces production line stoppage time to a very short time, contributing to improved work efficiency. Further, it is possible to prevent the fallen screw 25 from entering the workpiece 47 of, for example, an electrical device, and it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a failure of the electrical device.

When the screw 25 is screwed into the screw hole 47a, the torque sensor installed in the motor 21 issues a signal in the same manner as described above, and the rotation of the driver bit 26 is stopped and raised, and then, The suction pipe 22 rises.

When the suction vibrator 22 rises, the receiving plate 28 is returned to its original position by the elastic member, and the stoppage of the supply of the screws 25 is also canceled, so that the single screw 25 is again supplied to the notch 28a.

In addition, the air cylinder 44 operates and plunges t-44.
a is projected, the lid body 43 attached to the plunger 1-44 is slid on the bottom surface of the tray 41, and the hole 41C is closed and stopped. Next, the air cylinder 40 to which the receiving plate 41 is screwed via the hanging member 41a starts the retreating operation of the plunger 40a, thereby separating the receiving booklet 41 from the fastened member 46. Then, the guide member 45 attached to the lower surface of the tray 41 is elastically restored to its original shape.

Next, the table 13 is operated to move the machine to a predetermined position, or the workpiece 47 is transported by a transport device (not shown), and the next workpiece 47 is transported to this position, and this automatic machine Start the operation described in 1m again.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, even if the fastening member falls from the gripping means during work, this fastening member has fallen into the fastening member receiving means, It is possible to prevent the fallen fastening member from entering the inside of a work such as an electrical device, and it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a failure of the electrical device.

Furthermore, fastening members can be easily found and sized, which not only avoids the troublesome task of searching for fastening members, but also reduces production line down time, which improves work efficiency. It has the effect of contributing to the improvement of

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 5 relate to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a device for preventing fall of a fastening member, FIG. 2 is a side view of the device, and FIG. 3 is a gripping device for a fastening member. 4 is a partial plan view of the fastening member receiving means, FIG. 5 is a partial side view of the same means, FIGS. 6 and 7 relate to a conventional automatic machine, and FIG. 6 is a partial plan view of the fastening member receiving means. FIG. 7, a perspective view of the supply section, is an explanatory diagram of the operating state of the gripping means. 11... Work actuator 12... Supply means 13... Table 14... Fastening member receiving means 22... Gripping device 25... ... Fastening member 41C... Working hole Fig. 1 ↓ Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 7a Fig. 5 Fig. 6 ↓ Fig. 7

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A fall prevention device for a fastening member that prevents the fastening member from falling into a workpiece when a fastening member such as a screw is attached to a predetermined position of a workpiece, the device being supplied from a supply means. a gripping means for gripping the fastening member; a fastening member receiving means having a hole for attaching the fastening member and provided in a direction perpendicular to the gripping means; and a gripping means for holding the fastening member from the gripping means. A fall prevention device for a fastening member, comprising a work actuator that guides the fastening member to a work position of a received workpiece and performs the attachment work.