JPS6334048A - Automatic tray changer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to easily secure a space for installing a main body of an automatic tray changer for feeding parts in various industrial production lines by making the supply and takeout of the tray to and from only the back side of the main body. CONSTITUTION:A tray 15 is inserted from a back side to an inside of a main body 1 and placed on a fixed claw 17. An air cylinder 23 is actuated to raise a movable claw 25 pushing up the tray 15. The above procedure is repeated until the topmost tray 15 reaches the height of a tray loading table 2 when an intermediate portion detection means detects the tray 15 and stops the action of the cylinder 23. Immediately after that, a rodless cylinder 32 is actuated to transfer the tray 15 to the tray loading table 2. There, a robot takes a part out of the tray 15 based on a signal from a position detection means and returns the tray 15 to the original position. Then, based on a signal from a return detection means, the trays 15 are piled in succession on a 2nd tray support means until they are detected by an upper detection means.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] B) Industrial application field This invention is applicable to parts processing machines, parts assembly machines, parts inspection (measurement)
This invention relates to an automatic tray changer that uses trays to sequentially supply parts to various industrial production lines such as granule/powder/liquid filling machines.

(B) Prior art This type of conventional auto tray changer raises a horizontally placed tray to a predetermined height, then moves the tray horizontally onto a table that protrudes from the entire surface of the auto tray changer body. The automatic tray changer is configured to take out the parts stored in the trays from the main body using a device installed outside the main body, and then lower the empty trays as they are.・It descends sequentially and can be stacked under the table.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the above automatic tray changer, trays must be fed from the rear surface of the main body, and empty trays must be taken out from a surface different from the rear surface of the main body. ,
It was not possible to supply trays and take out empty trays from the same direction of the main body. Therefore, it was necessary to leave space on at least two sides of the main body to allow for the supply of trays and the removal of empty trays, resulting in a large installation space. Sometimes it was not possible to install.

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to enable feeding of trays and removal of empty trays from the same direction of the main body.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems This invention is an automatic tray changer, which is comprised of a rectangular frame body formed so that a large number of rectangular trays can be stored in a substantially horizontal stacked state. An auto tray changer main body, a tray mounting table mounted at a predetermined position in the height direction of this main body so as to protrude substantially horizontally from the entire surface of the main body, and a tray mounting table mounted inside the main body that is identical to the tray mounting table inside the main body. A first tray support in which a number of trays are placed and supported at a location below the height so that they can be moved only from the erosion surface of the main body to the front and vice versa while being held substantially horizontally at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. means for raising each tray, which is attached to the main body and supported in the main body by the first tray supporting means, by the tray support pitch of the first tray supporting means; tray horizontal moving means for moving the tray onto the tray mounting table when it has reached the height of the tray mounting table inside the main body and returning the tray to its original position based on an output signal from a device provided outside the main body; An intermediate detection means is attached to the main body and detects when the tray has reached the height of the tray mounting table inside the main body by the tray lifting means, and the tray lifting means is activated based on the detection signal of the intermediate detection means. a changeover switch means for outputting an operation stop signal and immediately thereafter outputting an operation signal to the tray horizontal movement means; and a changeover switch means for outputting an operation stop signal to the tray horizontal movement means; a first output means that outputs an operation stop signal to the tray horizontal movement means based on a detection signal from the position detection means; a return detection means for detecting return to the original position; and a second return detection means for outputting an operation stop signal to the tray horizontal movement means based on the detection signal of the return detection means and immediately thereafter outputting an operation signal to the tray lifting means. The tray lifting means is operated by the output signal from the output means and the second output means installed in the main body, so that each tray moved above the height of the tray mounting table in the main body is raised to the height of the tray mounting table. a second tray support means that supports the trays in a substantially horizontally stacked state sequentially within the main body from a position above a predetermined height; The device is equipped with an upper detection means for detecting that the tray has reached the tray height, and a full switch means for outputting an operation stop signal to the tray lifting means based on a detection signal from the upper detection means.

(E) Function This device moves the tray supported by the first tray support means upward by the support pitch of the first tray support means by the tray lifting means, and one tray is moved upward by the support pitch of the first tray support means. When the tray reaches the same height as the top surface, the operation of the tray lifting means is stopped, and the tray horizontal movement means is immediately activated to move the tray to a predetermined position on the tray mounting table, and then the tray is placed on the tray by a device outside the main body. When the stored parts are taken out of the main body and a signal is output from the device, the tray horizontal movement means returns to its original position, and then the tray is moved based on the detection signal from the return detection means. When the raising means is activated to raise the tray, a large number of trays are stacked at a predetermined height above the upper surface of the tray mounting table in the main body by the second tray supporting means, and the uppermost tray is stacked on top of the tray. When detected by the detection means, the operation of the tray lifting means is stopped.

(F) EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in detail below based on the examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 8. Note that this invention is not limited to this.

1 to 7, the auto tray changer includes an auto tray changer main body 1, a tray mounting table 2, a first tray support means 3, a tray lifting means 4, a tray horizontal movement means 5, an intermediate portion detection means 6, Changeover switch 7
, position detection means 8, first output means 9, return detection means 10
It is mainly composed of a second output means 11, a second tray support means 12, an upper detection means 13, and a full distribution switch means 14.

The main body 1 is formed of a rectangular parallelepiped frame and is configured to accommodate a large number of rectangular trays 15 arranged substantially horizontally and stacked one on top of the other.

The tray mounting table 2 is attached to a predetermined position in the height direction of the main body 1 so as to protrude substantially horizontally from the front surface of the main body 1, and is attached to a rectangular frame 13 and an inner side surface of the frame. and eight tray support rollers 16.

The first tray support means 3 consists of a fixed claw 17 and a fixed claw support member 18, and the fixed claw support members 18 are arranged vertically at predetermined intervals on both sides of the main body 1 so as to reach from the top to the bottom of the main body 1. It consists of four elongated plate members attached with space between them. The fixed claw 17 is for mounting and supporting the tray 15, and is made up of a square-shaped longitudinal member 19 and support fittings 20 attached to both ends of the longitudinal member 19. In the area below the height of
The longitudinal members 19 are mounted substantially horizontally so that the one-shape portions of the longitudinal members 19 face each other at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction and face inward. Note that the support fitting 20 is urged downward by a spring 21. In addition, a fixed roller 2 is provided in place of the fixed claw 15 at the same height as the top surface of the tray mounting table 2 of the main body 1.
2 is installed.

The tray lifting means 4 includes an air cylinder 23, a mouth-shaped member 24, a large number of movable claws 25, and a movable claw support member 26. The air cylinder 23 is attached to the top of the main body 1 facing downward, and its rod 2 is always closed when the operation is stopped.
The mouth-shaped member 24 is attached to the rod 27 of the air cylinder 23 so as to face downward and toward both sides of the main body 1. The movable claw support member 26 has two horizontal arms 28.2 attached horizontally to both sides of the main body 1 at both ends of the mouth-shaped member 24.
8, and four thin base plates 29 attached downwardly to both ends of the horizontal arm 28 so as to face the member 18 from the outside of each fixed claw support member 18. Note that the lower end of each base plate 29 extends to near the bottom of the main body 1.

Each movable claw 25 is arranged on each base plate at the same pitch as the mounting pitch of the fixed claw 17 so that when the air cylinder 23 is operated, the movable claw 25 comes into contact with the four corners of the bottom of the tray 15 placed on the fixed claw 17. It is installed between a position slightly lower than the height of the fixing claw 17 at the bottom of the roller 29 and a position slightly above the height of the fixed roller 22. The stroke width of the air cylinder 23 is set slightly larger than the mounting pitch of the fixed claws 17 so that the fixed claws 17 pressed by the tray 15 when the tray 15 is lifted can be returned by the spring 21. Also, inside the main body 1, a tray 1 is attached to a fixed claw 17.
Lower detection means 30 for detecting whether or not 5 is placed.
is attached, and a stock switch means 31 electrically connected to the lower detection means 30 and the air cylinder 23 is attached to the upper right side of the main body 1. The stock switch means 31 outputs an operation stop signal to the air cylinder 23 when the lower detection means 30 does not detect the tray 15. Note that the lower detection means 30 consists of a pair of opposing photoelectric sensors.

The tray horizontal moving means 5 is the same as the tray mounting table 2.
The tray 15 that has reached the fixed roller 22 located at the
The empty tray 15 is moved onto the tray mounting table 2 and returned to its original position by a signal from a device provided outside the main body 1, such as a robot for moving parts to a production line. and a hook 34 that engages with a notch 33 provided on the side of the tray 15, and the rodless cylinder 32 is placed at the same height as the tray mounting table 2 on the right side of the main body 1, horizontally and in the front-rear direction. installed. The hook 24 is attached to the rodless cylinder 30 so as to move in response to the actuation of the rodless cylinder 30.

The intermediate portion detection means 6 is installed at a height equivalent to the height of the tray mounting table 2 in the main body 1, and is used to determine whether or not the tray 15 has reached this height. This intermediate portion detection means 6 consists of a pair of opposing photoelectric sensors.

The changeover switch 7 is provided on the upper right side of the main body 1 and is electrically connected to the intermediate portion detection means 6, the air cylinder 23, and the rodless cylinder 32. The changeover switch 7 outputs an operation stop signal to the air cylinder 23 based on the tray detection signal from the intermediate portion detection means 6, and immediately thereafter outputs an operation signal to the rodless cylinder 32.

The position detection means 8 is attached to the rodless cylinder 32 and detects when the tray 15 moved by the rodless cylinder 22 has reached a predetermined position on the tray mounting table 2.

The first output means 9 outputs an operation stop signal to the rodless cylinder 32 based on the detection signal of the position detection means 8, and is attached to the upper right side of the main body 1, and is configured to detect the rodless cylinder 32 and position. electrically connected to the means.

The return detection means 10 is attached to the rodless cylinder 32 and detects that the tray 15 returned by the O-radless cylinder 32 has returned to its original position within the main body 1.

The second output means 11 outputs an operation stop signal to the rodless cylinder 32 based on the detection signal of the return detection means 10, and outputs an operation signal to the air cylinder 23 immediately after that, and outputs an operation signal to the air cylinder 23 on the upper right side of the main body 1. , and is electrically connected to the return detection means 10, the air cylinder 23, and the rodless cylinder 32.

The second tray support means 12 operates the air cylinder 23 in response to an output signal from the second output means 11 to place each tray 15, which has been moved above the height of the tray placement table 2 in the main body, on the tray. It is supported in the main body 1 in a sequentially stacked state approximately horizontally from a predetermined height above the height of the table 2, and the fixed claw support member 18 is installed at a predetermined height higher than the height of the tray mounting table 2. It consists of a pair of supports having the same shape as the fixing claws 17.

The upper detection means 13 is for detecting that the height of a large number of trays 15 supported by the second tray support means 12 has reached a predetermined height, and is provided by a pair of opposing trays attached to the uppermost part of the main body 1. It consists of a photoelectric sensor.

The full distribution switch means 14 is attached to the upper right side of the main body 1, and is connected to the upper detection means 13 and the air cylinder 23.
The upper detection means 13 outputs an operation stop signal to the air cylinder 23 based on the tray detection signal from the upper detection means 13.

A safety door 35 that covers the first tray support means 3 is attached to the rear surface of the main body 1, and when this door 35 is opened, the air cylinder 23 and the rodless cylinder 32 are opened.
A switch (not shown) is installed to stop the operation. 36 is a warning light; 37 is a programmable controller; this controller 37 is composed of a full supply switch means 14, a first output means 9, a second output means 11, a changeover switch means 7 and a stock switch means 31.

Next, the operation of the trade engine will be explained.

First, the tray 15 is inserted into the main body 1 from the rear surface of the main body 1, and the tray 15 is placed on each fixing claw 17. When the air cylinder 23 is operated, each movable claw 25 rises and pushes up the vicinity of the four corners of the bottom surface of the tray 15, as shown in FIG. There, tray 15 was pushed up.
presses outwardly the two opposing fixing claws 17 immediately above and rises further. Then, when the stroke direction of the air cylinder 23 changes, each movable claw 25 descends, and each movable claw 25 moves each tray 15 to each fixed claw 1 one above the original fixed claws 17.
7. Place it on top. By repeating this, each tray 15 is placed on the fixed claw 17 one level above, and the tray 15 at the top is
When the tray 15 reaches the height of the tray mounting table 2, the intermediate detection means 6 detects the tray 15 and the air cylinder 23
Immediately thereafter, the rodless cylinder 32 is activated to move the tray 15 onto the tray mounting table 2. Therefore, when the tray 15 stops at a predetermined position on the tray mounting table 2, a robot (not shown) outside the main body 1
operates to take out the parts from the tray 15. Then, when a termination signal is output from the robot, the rodless cylinder 32 is operated to return, and the tray 15 on the tray mounting table 2 is returned to its original position within the main body 1. Next, based on the detection signal from the return detection means 10, the air cylinder 23 is operated to raise the tray 15 and place it on the second tray support means 12. As a result of this operation, the trays 15 that have reached the height of the tray mounting table 2 are horizontally moved in order to empty the trays 15, and then the empty trays 15 are returned to their original positions and raised again. As a result, the trays are placed one after another in a position higher than the height of the tray placement table 2 in the main body 1.
5 are stacked in a box. When the uppermost tray 15 is detected by the upper detection means 13, the operation of the air cylinder 23 is stopped. Here, in order to restart the air cylinder 23, it is necessary to take out the upper empty tray 15 inside the main body 1 from the rear surface of the main body 1. At this time, if there is no tray 15 below the tray mounting table 2 in the main body 1, the lower detection means 30 detects this and sends an operation stop signal to the air cylinder 23 from the stock switch 31. Output.

As described above, in this invention, trays are supplied and taken out only from the rear surface of the main body 1. Therefore, when installing the main body 1, it is necessary to install a space for tray supply and removal only on the rear surface of the main body. It gets better just by doing that. Therefore, the main body 1 can be installed in a space where installation is conventionally difficult. Further, since the tray 15 is raised step by step by the combination of the fixed claw 17 and the movable claw 25, the stroke width of the air cylinder 23 can be made small. Therefore, the length of the main body 1 in the height direction can be shortened. Besides, empty tray 15
Since the air cylinder 23 is configured to stop operating when the air cylinder 23 reaches the top inside the main body 1, damage to the tray 15 and the main body 1 can be prevented.

(G) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, the installation space of the auto tray changer main body can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1, 2, and 3 are rear views, left side views, and plan views showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a tray I of the present invention. 6 is a schematic side view of the main body showing the positions of the lower, middle and upper detection means of the present invention; FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the present invention; and FIG. 8 is the fixing device of the present invention. It is an explanatory view explaining the relationship between a claw and a movable claw. 1... Auto tray changer body, 2...
... Tray mounting table 2.3 ... First tray support means, 4 ... Tray lifting means, 5 ... Tray horizontal movement means, 6 ... ... intermediate portion detection means, 7 ... changeover switch, 8 ... position detection means, 9.
...First output means, 10...Return detection means, 11...Second output means, 12...
・Second tray support means, 13... Upper detection means, 14... Full distribution switch means, 15...
tray.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An auto tray changer main body consisting of a rectangular frame body formed to be able to store a large number of rectangular trays stacked substantially horizontally; A tray mounting table is attached to a predetermined position so as to protrude almost horizontally from the entire surface of the main body, and a large number of trays are mounted inside the main body and placed at a position below from the same height as the tray mounting table inside the main body. a first tray support means for placing and supporting the main body so that the main body can be moved only from the rear surface to the front surface and vice versa while being held substantially horizontally at a predetermined interval; tray lifting means for raising each tray supported within the tray by the tray support pitch of the first tray supporting means, and a tray that is attached to the main body and reaches the height of the tray mounting table within the main body by the tray lifting means. Tray horizontal movement means moves the tray onto the tray mounting table and returns it to its original position based on an output signal from a device installed outside the main body, and a tray lifting means installed inside the main body moves the tray within the main body. An intermediate part detection means detects that the height of the tray mounting table has been reached, and based on a detection signal from the intermediate part detection means, an operation stop signal is output to the tray lifting means, and immediately after that, the tray horizontal movement means a changeover switch means for outputting an activation signal to the main body; a position detection means for detecting when the tray moved by the tray horizontal movement means attached to the main body has reached a predetermined position on the tray mounting table; and a detection means for detecting the position of the tray. a first output means for outputting an operation stop signal to the tray horizontal movement means based on the signal;
A return detection means is attached to the main body and detects that the tray has returned to its original position in the main body by the tray horizontal movement means, and an operation stop signal is output to the tray horizontal movement means based on a detection signal from the return detection means. Immediately after that, a second output means outputs an activation signal to the tray raising means, and the tray raising means is installed in the main body and is activated by the output signal from the second output means, so that the height of the tray mounting table inside the main body is lowered. a second tray supporting means for supporting each tray moved upward in a state in which the trays are sequentially stacked substantially horizontally in the main body from a predetermined height above the height of the tray mounting table; an upper detection means for detecting that the height of the trays stacked by the tray support means has reached a predetermined height; and a full distribution switch for outputting an operation stop signal to the tray lifting means based on a detection signal from the upper detection means. An auto tray chain machine comprising means and means.