TWI682887B - Transportation device and transportation system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a conveying device which can make the stop motion or speed change of the conveying body more stable. The conveying device is composed of a plurality of conveying bodies. Each conveying body includes: a conveying body body; a traveling portion for the conveying body body to travel on the rail portion; and a crimping body supported by the conveying body body and crimped to the conveying portion to connect the conveying body body with the Conveyor connection. The plurality of conveying bodies are connected to each other by a connecting body that can be deformed to expand and contract in the conveying direction. Among the plurality of transport bodies, the first transport body travels on the transport rail in such a manner as to precede the second transport body. The connection system is constructed in such a way that contraction deformation and expansion deformation require a predetermined load. The connecting body allows the first conveying body and the second conveying body to travel at different speeds by expanding and contracting, and reduces the relative speed change of the first conveying body and the second conveying body.

Description

Transportation device and transportation system

The invention relates to a conveying device and a conveying system for conveying an object to a predetermined position.

Conventionally, in order to transfer an object from a first-step implementation site where one step is performed to an object (workpiece material) to a second-step implementation site where another step is performed, various transport devices (transport systems) are used. In particular, in order to transport one or a plurality of objects in conjunction with a plurality of transport bodies, a plurality of transport bodies are connected by a link body.

For example, the conveyance line system (article conveying device) of Patent Document 1 discloses an article conveying device that connects a plurality of traveling carriages on which conveyed articles are placed. The bracket (1) is provided with a traveling wheel (2) rolling on a rail erected along a traveling path at the front and rear, and a guide roller (3) rolls on a rail provided along the rail to prevent the bracket (1) from shaking, The reaction plate (P) of the linear motor is horizontally installed on the lower surface of the bracket (1). At the position above the mounting position of the running wheel (2) of the bracket (1), connect the two ends of the connecting rods (4, 4) of the bracket (1) via the universal joints (5, 5), and The two ends of the connecting rod (4, 4) are horizontally rotated, pitched, and forward and backward by a long hole, etc., and are movably connected. There is a separation between the connecting rod (4, 4) and the front and rear brackets The two ends (6', 6') of the protective board (6, 6) covered by the space.

[Prior Technical Literature]

[Patent Literature]

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-258928

However, in the conveying device of Patent Document 1, since a plurality of conveying bodies (brackets) are connected by a rigid connecting rod, the distance between the plurality of conveying bodies is kept constant during conveyance. Therefore, for example, when the power supply to the forward conveying body is stopped at a desired position such as the work area to stop or decelerate the conveying body, since the rear conveying body maintains the speed at the previous moment, it is difficult to make the forward conveying body at a desired level The position stops or decelerates steadily. In addition, when it is desired to change the amount of power supply according to the position of the track to change the speed of the preceding conveying body, since the rear conveying body cannot follow the speed change, it is difficult to stably change the speed of the preceding conveying body at the desired track position . In particular, when a weight is transported by the transport body, the inertial force of each transport body becomes larger. Therefore, the conventional conveying device has a problem that it cannot sufficiently cope with the speed change or the stop motion of the preceding conveyance body. The speed change or the stop motion causes the conveyance body to shake or vibrate, and it is difficult to stably transport the weight.

The present invention has been completed to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a conveying device and a conveying system that can make the stop motion or speed change of the conveying body more stable.

A transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention is composed of a plurality of transport bodies provided with a rail portion extending in the transport direction of an object, and provided in the rail portion in parallel to the transport direction The conveyance section of the rotation-driven conveyance section is characterized in that: each of the conveyance bodies includes: a conveyance body body; a travel section for the conveyance body body to travel on the track section; and a crimping body supported by the conveyance body The main body is crimped to the conveying part to connect the conveying body to the conveying part, and the plurality of conveying bodies are connected to each other by a connecting body that can be deformed in the conveying direction. The first conveying body of the plurality of conveying bodies travels on the conveying track in a manner of precedence to the second conveying body. The connection system is constructed in such a manner that contraction deformation and expansion deformation each require a predetermined load, and the connection body is expanded and contracted The deformation allows the first conveying body and the second conveying body to travel at mutually different speeds and reduces the relative speed change of the first conveying body and the second conveying body.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the conveying device may include that the conveying body includes a control mechanism that drives the crimping body toward the conveying section and drives the crimping body away from the conveying section. To control the crimping of the crimping body to the conveying part and the release of the crimping.

The conveying device according to still another embodiment of the present invention may be a telescopic telescopic body formed by connecting a plurality of intersecting link members in the axial direction in the above connection system.

The conveying device of still another embodiment of the present invention may be: the pair of crossed link members are rotatably connected to each other at the intersection by the first axis, and the link members are adjacent to the other at both ends The link members are rotatably connected to each other by the second shaft, and either or both of the first shaft and the second shaft are used in such a manner that the rotation of the link member requires a predetermined torque The link members are connected to each other.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the conveying device may be such that either or both of the first shaft and the second shaft connect the link members to each other via a rotary damper.

A transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a plurality of transport bodies which transport an object to a predetermined position in the transport direction; and a transport rail which is provided and extends in the transport direction of the object A rail portion where the transport body travels, and a transport portion that is provided on the rail portion and is rotationally driven in the transport direction; and each transport body includes a transport body and a travel for the transport body to travel on the rail portion Part, and supported on the body of the conveying body and crimped to the conveying part to connect the body of the conveying body with The crimping body connected by the conveying section, the plurality of conveying bodies are connected to each other by a connecting body that can be deformed in the conveying direction, and the first conveying body among the plurality of conveying bodies precedes the second conveying body by Traveling on the conveying rail, the connecting system is configured in such a way that contraction deformation and expansion deformation require a predetermined load, and the connecting body allows the first conveying body and the second conveying body to travel at mutually different speeds through expansion and contraction Furthermore, the relative speed change of the first transport body and the second transport body is reduced.

A transport system according to another embodiment of the present invention may be: the transport rail includes: a power supply area where both the rail portion and the transport portion are provided; and a power missing area adjacent to the power supply area The rail portion is formed and provided without the conveyance portion, and the power supply area and the power lacking area are alternately arranged.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the transport system may be such that the transport body includes a control mechanism that drives the crimped body toward the transport section and drives the crimped body away from the transport section. To control the crimping of the crimping body to the conveying part and the release of the crimping.

The conveying system according to still another embodiment of the present invention may be a telescopic telescopic body formed by connecting a plurality of intersecting link members in the axial direction in the above-mentioned connecting system.

The conveying system according to still another embodiment of the present invention may be such that the pair of crossed link members are rotatably connected to each other by the first axis at the intersection point, and the link members are adjacent to other adjacent ones at both ends. The link members are rotatably connected to each other by the second shaft, and either or both of the first shaft and the second shaft connect the above members in such a manner that the rotation of the link member requires a predetermined load The rod members are connected to each other via a rotary damper.

According to a conveying device of one form of the present invention, a connecting body connecting a plurality of conveying bodies It is constructed in such a way that contraction deformation and expansion deformation each require a predetermined load. Thereby, the connecting body allows the first and second conveying bodies arranged before and after the conveying track to travel at different speeds by stretching and deforming, and changes the relative speed of the first and second conveying bodies The way to reduce function. For example, when the speed of the first first transport body changes or the power supply stops, the distance between the first transport body and the second transport body changes. At this time, since a predetermined load is required for the expansion and contraction of the connecting body, the connecting body absorbs the sudden relative speed change of the first transport body and the second transport body, and the second transport body gradually follows the first transport body. Therefore, according to the transport device of the present invention, the object can be transported more stably with respect to the stop motion or speed change of the transport body.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the above-described invention, the transport body can be arbitrarily stopped by the transport unit by providing a control mechanism for releasing the pressure contact between the crimping body and the transport unit. Power supply.

According to another form of the conveying device of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the above invention, the connecting body can be mechanically expanded and contracted by a simple structure by using the connecting body as a telescopic type retractable body. Furthermore, the connecting body can be configured to expand and contract with a predetermined load by setting a load on the first axis connecting a pair of crossed link members at the intersection and/or the second axis connecting the ends of the link members . In addition, the first shaft and/or the second shaft system connect the link member via the rotary damper, whereby the coupling body can be stably operated for a long period of time.

According to the transport system of one aspect of the present invention, the connection system that connects the plurality of transport bodies is configured such that contraction deformation and expansion deformation each require a predetermined load. Thereby, the connecting body allows the first and second conveying bodies arranged before and after the conveying track to travel at different speeds by stretching and deforming, and changes the relative speed of the first and second conveying bodies The way to reduce function. For example, when the speed of the first first transport body changes or the power supply stops, the distance between the first transport body and the second transport body changes. At this time, since the expansion and contraction of the connecting body requires a predetermined load, the connecting body absorbs the rapid relative speed change of the first conveying body and the second conveying body, and the second conveying body gradually Follow the first carrier. Therefore, according to the transport system of the present invention, it is possible to transport the object more stably with respect to the stop motion or speed change of each transport body.

According to another form of the transport system of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the above invention, the transport rail of the transport system is composed of a power supply area and a power lack area. That is, when the first automatic conveying body of the first conveying body enters the power loss area, the distance between the first conveying body and the second conveying body is gradually reduced, and the first conveying body and the second conveying body can gradually change the speed. On the other hand, when the leading first conveying body's automatic force-deficient area enters the power supply area, the distance between the first conveying body and the second conveying body slowly expands, while the first conveying body and the second conveying body can gradually change speed. That is, it is possible to arrange a power loss area on the conveying rail of the conveying system without reducing the stability of the conveyance. As a result, it is possible to arbitrarily arrange a work area that decelerates or stops the conveying body. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the cost and energy consumption due to the relative reduction of the power supply area.

According to another form of the transport system of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the above-mentioned invention, the transport body can be arbitrarily stopped by the transport unit having a control mechanism for releasing the pressure contact of the crimping body to the transport unit. Power supply.

According to a transport system of another aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the above-described invention, the connecting body can be mechanically expanded and contracted by a simple structure by using the connecting body as a telescopic type telescopic body. Furthermore, the load can be configured by performing a predetermined load by setting a load on the first axis connecting the pair of crossed link members at the intersection point and/or the second axis connecting the ends of the link members Telescopic. In addition, the first shaft and/or the second shaft system connect the link member via the rotary damper, whereby the connecting body can be stably operated for a long period of time.

10‧‧‧Transport system

100‧‧‧Conveying device

110‧‧‧Carrier

110-1‧‧‧The first carrier

110-2‧‧‧ 2nd carrier

111‧‧‧Transport body

111a‧‧‧Vertical frame

111b‧‧‧Upper horizontal frame

111c‧‧‧lower horizontal frame

112‧‧‧Support

113‧‧‧ Walking Department

115‧‧‧ Crimp body

115a‧‧‧foot

115b‧‧‧crimping plate (crimping section)

115c‧‧‧Snap-in shaft

115d‧‧‧long hole

115e‧‧‧Bottom wall

116‧‧‧Control agency

116a‧‧‧Operation Department

116b‧‧‧bearing

116c‧‧‧Drive gear

116d‧‧‧ driven gear

116e‧‧‧Snap fit

116f‧‧‧Spring

116g‧‧‧Rotating shaft

116h‧‧‧rotation axis

118‧‧‧Link

120‧‧‧Connect

121‧‧‧1st link

122‧‧‧ 2nd link

123‧‧‧ 1st axis

124‧‧‧ 2nd axis

125‧‧‧rotating damper

126‧‧‧1st gear

127‧‧‧ 2nd gear

150‧‧‧Transport track

151‧‧‧Track Department

152‧‧‧Top Wall Department

153‧‧‧Side wall part

154‧‧‧ opening

155‧‧‧Delivery Department

155a‧‧‧Pulley

155b‧‧‧Conveyor belt

156‧‧‧Power Department

157‧‧‧sling

X‧‧‧Power supply area

Y‧‧‧Lack of power

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic front view of the conveying device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the conveying device of Fig. 1.

4 is a side view of the conveying device of FIG.

Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a conveying body of the conveying device of Fig. 1.

6 is a (a) front view and (b) rear view of the carrier of FIG. 5.

7 is (a) a top view and (b) a side view of the conveying body of FIG. 5.

8 is an A-A cross-sectional view of the carrier of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the form of the pressure contact of the carrier of FIG. 8.

Fig. 10 is a schematic perspective view of the connecting body of the conveying device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is a front view of the connecting body of Fig. 10.

12 is an exploded perspective view of the connecting body of FIG.

13 is a schematic perspective view of a connecting body of another embodiment.

Fig. 14 is a schematic perspective view showing a transport rail according to an embodiment of the present invention.

15 is a top view of the transport rail of FIG. 14.

16 is a (a) side view and (b) B-B cross-sectional view of the transport rail of FIG. 14.

Fig. 17 is a schematic perspective view of a transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

18 is a cross-sectional view of the transfer system of FIG.

FIG. 19 is a schematic front view showing a form of the transfer system in which the transfer system of FIG. 17 is moved and the transfer device runs in a region where the power supply area of the transfer rail is continuous.

20 is a view showing a form of the transport system of FIG. 17 in which the power supply area and the power loss area are alternately arranged on the transport rails of the transport system of the transport system. Area, and a schematic front view of the state in which the second transport body remains in the power supply area.

Fig. 21 shows the conveying system of Fig. 17, and the conveying device is alternately arranged with power on the conveying track One form of the transport system that travels between the supply area and the power loss area is a schematic front view of the form in which the first transfer body automatically enters the power supply area and the second transfer body remains in the power loss area.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the shapes of the figures referred to in the following description are conceptual diagrams or schematic diagrams based on the description of the preferred shapes, and the size ratios and the like may not be consistent with the actual size ratios. That is, the present invention is not limited to the size ratio in the drawings.

The transport system 10 of this embodiment is composed of a transport device 100 (a plurality of transport bodies 110) that transports an object to a predetermined position and a transport rail 150 that is laid along a predetermined transport path. That is, the conveying system 10 is a conveying device 100 that conveys an object (not shown) to a predetermined position along a conveying rail 150 laid along a predetermined conveying path. More specifically, in order to perform a plurality of steps on the object (workpiece material), the object is transported along the transport rail 150 from the place where one of the first steps is implemented to the place where the second step is implemented The transport device 100 can be used at this time.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a conveying device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of the transport device 100. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the conveying device 100. FIG. 4 is a side view of the conveying device 100.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the conveying device 100 includes a pair of conveying bodies 110 for conveying an object to a predetermined position and the pair of conveying bodies 110 connected to each other, and is capable of inelastic expansion and contraction deformation in the conveyance (axis) direction The connected body 120 is formed. For convenience of explanation, the first conveying body in the pair of conveying bodies 110 constituting one of the conveying apparatuses 100 is defined as the first conveying body 110-1, and the subsequent conveying body is defined as the second conveying body 110-2. Hereinafter, each component will be described in detail.

First, referring to FIGS. 5 to 9, a transport body 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Bright. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the transport body 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6(a) and (b) are a front view and a rear view of the transport body 110. FIG. 7(a) and (b) are a plan view and a side view of the transport body 110. FIG. 8 is an A-A cross-sectional view of the transport body 110 (compression-release form). FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the transport body 110 (pressure-bonding form).

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the transport body 110 includes a transport body 111; a support portion 112 to support the object; a travel portion 113 for the transport body 111 to travel on the transport rail 150 (rail portion 151) ; Crimp body 115, supported on the transport body 111 and crimped on the transport section 155 of the transport rail 150 to connect the transport body 111 and the transport section 155; and the control mechanism 116, used to control the transport body of the crimp body Crimping and the release of the crimping.

The carrier body 111 includes: a pair of vertical frames 111a extending at the left and right ends in the longitudinal (height) direction; a pair of upper horizontal frames 111b extending laterally before and after the pair of vertical frames 111a; and a lower horizontal frame 111c extends parallel to the upper horizontal frame 111b under the upper horizontal frame 111b.

Each vertical frame 111a is formed as a rectangular column. At the lower end of each vertical frame 111a, a support portion 112 for hanging and fixing a support plate (not shown) on which the object is placed and supported is provided. The support portion 112 may also be a screw hole that can connect the support plate with screws. In addition, a running portion 113 is provided on the upper end of the vertical frame 111a. The running portion 113 includes a pair of wheels mounted on the upper end of the vertical frame 111a so as to be rotatable in the left-right width direction of the transport body 111. The running portion 113 is positioned so as to protrude from the front and back of the vertical frame 111a, and is configured to be mounted on the rail portion 151 of the transport rail 150 and capable of traveling on the rail portion 151. Furthermore, on the upper end side of the one vertical frame 111a, a connecting portion 118 for connecting the connecting body 120 connecting the transport bodies 110 to each other is formed. That is, the coupling body 120 is fixed via the coupling portions 118 of the pair of transport bodies 110, whereby the transport bodies 110 can be coupled by the coupling body 120.

The pair of front and rear upper horizontal frames 111b are formed in an elongated plate shape, and are fixed to the front and rear surfaces of the vertical frame 111a so that the planar portions thereof face the front and rear surfaces. That is, a pair of upper and lower horizontal frames The rack 111b is connected back and forth across a pair of vertical frames 111a. In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, three shaft holes are penetrated in the plane portion of the upper horizontal frame 111b for penetrating the rotation shaft 116g, the rotation shafts 116h, and 116h of the shaft support control mechanism 116. On the other hand, the lower horizontal frame 111c is formed in an elongated plate shape. The lower horizontal frame 111c is fixed (clamped) to the inner surfaces of the pair of left and right vertical frames 111a such that the planar portions thereof face upward and downward. In addition, four rectangular cutouts for guiding the movement of the legs 115a of the crimping body 115 are formed on both sides of the front and back sides of the lower horizontal frame 111c.

The crimping body 115 is movably supported by the conveying body 111 in the up-down direction, and the conveying body 111 and the conveying part 155 are connected to the conveying part 155 (refer to FIGS. 15 and 16) of the conveying rail 150 by crimping Function. The crimping body 115 includes a pair of left and right leg portions 115a extending in the longitudinal direction of the carrier body 111, and a plate-shaped crimping plate (crimping portion) 115b fixed to the upper ends of the pair of leg portions 115a.

Each leg portion 115a is formed by combining two longitudinally long plate-shaped portions arranged back and forth. Inside the plate-like portion of the leg portion 115a, a lower horizontal frame 111c of the transport body 111 is arranged, and an upper horizontal frame 111b is arranged outside the plate. Furthermore, the crimping body 115 is supported by the carrier body 111 in a state where the plate-like portion of the leg portion 115a is accommodated in the four cutouts of the lower horizontal frame 111c.

The crimping plate 115b is fixed to the leg 115a with its rectangular base located between the plate-like portions of the leg 115a. The crimping plate 115b is formed in a tapered shape so as to extend in the left-right width direction and both ends recede downward. That is, the upper surface of the crimping plate 115b is configured to be crimped to the crimping portion of the conveying portion 155.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, an engagement shaft 115c is provided on the upper portion of each leg 115a. The engagement shaft 115c extends in the front-rear direction so as to connect the front and rear plate-like portions, and is arranged to be engageable with the outer surface of the engagement body 116e of the control mechanism 116 described below. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, a long hole 115d extending in the longitudinal direction is formed through the substantially central portion of each leg 115a. More specifically, a long hole 115d is provided through both of the plate-like portions of the leg portion 115a, and the rotation shaft 116h of the control mechanism 116 can be movably (slidably) inserted. Furthermore, a bottom wall 115e is provided at the lower end of each leg 115a. The bottom wall 115e connects the plate-like portion of the leg 115a so as to close the lower end thereof. As shown in FIG. 8, on the upper surface and below of the bottom wall 115e The spring 116f of the control mechanism 116 is arranged between the lower surfaces of the horizontal frame 111c.

The control mechanism 116 drives the crimping body 115 toward the conveying rail 150 (transporting part 155) and away from the conveying rail 150 to control the crimping body 115 to crimp the conveying part 155 and the The method of releasing the crimping functions. The control mechanism 116 includes a rod-shaped operating portion 116a for driving and operating the crimping body 115. The operation part 116a can be moved to the actuation position (inclination posture) which press-contacted the crimping body 115 to the conveyance part 155 and the release position (vertical posture) which moved the crimping body 155 away from the conveyance part 155. In addition, the operation portion 116a holds a rotatable bearing 116b at the front end.

The operation portion 116a is pivotally supported at the base end (lower end) of the upper cross frame 111b of the carrier body 111 via a rotary shaft 116g in a rotatable manner. The rotating shaft 116g penetrates the pair of front and rear upper horizontal frames 111b so as to protrude toward the front side of the carrier body 111, and can rotate relative to the carrier body 111. As shown in FIG. 7, an operation portion 116 a is fixed to the front end of the rotating shaft 116 g, and is arranged forward (front side) of the transport body 111. Further, between the outer surface of the lateral frame 111b on the front side and the operation portion 116a, the driving gear 116c is fixed to the rotating shaft 116g. That is, the operation portion 116a and the driving gear 116c can rotate synchronously with each other about the rotating shaft 116g.

On the other hand, on both sides of the rotating shaft 116g, the two driven gears 116d are rotatably supported by the upper horizontal frame 111b of the transport body 111 via the two rotating shafts 116h. Each rotating shaft 116h penetrates the pair of front and rear upper horizontal frames 111b, and can rotate relative to the transport body 111. The rotation shaft 116g, the rotation shafts 116h, and 116h are arranged on a straight line along the extending direction of the upper horizontal frame 111b (the left-right width direction of the transport body 110). Each driven gear 116d is fixed to the front end of the rotating shaft 116h, and the two left and right driven gears 116d are arranged at positions that can mesh with the central driving gear 116c. That is, the driven gear 116d rotates as the driving gear 116c rotates. In addition, in the present embodiment, the driving gear 116c and the driven gear 116d are formed with the same diameter. Therefore, the rotation angles of the driving gear 116c and the driven gear 116d are the same. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned form.

Moreover, between the pair of front and rear upper horizontal frames 111b, the engaging body 116e is fixed to each Rotating shaft 116h. That is, the engagement body 116e is integrally fixed to the driven gear 116d via the rotating shaft 116h, so it rotates synchronously with respect to the rotation of the driven gear 116d. The engaging body 116e has a shape recessed with the center of each side of the square as a center side when viewed from the front. In other words, a concave portion is formed in the center of each side of the engaging body 116e. The outer peripheral surface of this engaging body 116e changes slowly, and it bends as a whole. Moreover, the outer peripheral surface of the engagement body 116e is arrange|positioned so that it may contact (fold) the engagement shaft 115c (refer FIG. 8 and FIG. 9). That is, the distance between the outer peripheral surface of the engaging body 116e and the rotating shaft 116h is not the same. Therefore, with the rotational movement of the engaging body 116e, the engaging shaft 115c folded on the outer peripheral surface of the engaging body 116e can approach and close to the rotating shaft 116h Move away.

Furthermore, the control mechanism 116 is provided with a spring 116f that urges the crimping body 115 in the backward direction (downward). The springs 116f are arranged inside the respective legs 115a. In particular, the lower end of the spring 116f is fixed to the upper surface of the bottom wall 115e, and the upper end of the spring 116f is fixed to the lower surface of the lower cross frame 111c. Moreover, in the form of FIG. 8 (and FIG. 9), the spring 116f is contracted from its natural length, and is urged toward the direction where the bottom wall 115e is separated from the lower horizontal frame 111c. That is, with the elastic restoring force of the spring 116f, the bottom wall 115e of each leg 115a is urged downward relative to the lower lateral frame 111c of the carrier body 111, whereby the crimping body 115 is retracted in the backward direction (downward) Apply force. With this urging force, the engagement shaft 115c is kept in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the engagement body 116e, and the engagement shaft 115c can relatively slide on the outer circumferential surface of the driven gear 116d as the driven gear 116d rotates.

Next, the operation of the transport body 110 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. 8 shows the transport body 110 in a form in which the crimping body 115 recedes away from the transport rail 150. FIG. 9 shows the transport body 110 in a state where the crimping body 115 advances in the direction of being crimped to the transport rail 150.

In FIG. 8, the operation portion 116a of the control mechanism 116 assumes a substantially vertical posture, and the bearing 116b at the front end of the operation portion 116a is located at the first height. In addition, an engagement shaft 115c is in contact with the center of the upper side of the engagement body 116e. In the concave portion in the center of the side of the engaging body 116e, the distance between the center of the rotating shaft 116h and the outer peripheral surface of the engaging body 116e is the smallest. That is, in the form of FIG. 8, the crimping body 115 is arranged at the lowest position. In addition, the operation portion 116a (not shown) may be intentionally controlled by folding the bearing 116b to a rail body whose height is changed on the transport rail 150.

Further, by tilting the operation portion 116a (either to the left or right) of the control mechanism 116 from the form of FIG. 8, the crimping body 115 can be moved in the advancing direction (upward) as shown in FIG. 9. More specifically, when the operation portion 116a is rotated at a predetermined angle into the inclined posture, the driving gear 116c rotates in one direction at a predetermined angle in synchronization with the rotation of the operation portion 116a. At this time, the bearing 116b at the front end of the operation portion 116a is located at the second height. In this embodiment, the predetermined angle is about 45 degrees. Since the central driving gear 116c meshes with the two driven gears 116d on both sides, as the driving gear 116c rotates, the two driven gears 116d rotate at a predetermined angle. Moreover, the engagement body 116e rotates at a predetermined angle in synchronization with the rotation of each driven gear 116d. As the engaging body 116e rotates, the engaging shaft 115c relatively slides on the outer peripheral surface of the engaging body 116e. As the engagement shaft 115c moves outward from the recessed portion in the center of the side of the engagement body 116e, the engagement shaft 115c gradually moves upward so that the rotation shaft 116g is separated from the engagement shaft 115c. At the same time, the rotating shaft 116h relatively slides downward in the long hole 115d. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, when the engaging shaft 115 c moves toward the corner of the engaging body 116 e, the crimping body 115 advances in the direction of being crimped to the transport rail 150. In addition, by fixing the operation part 116a to the conveying body body 111 at a required tilting angle with a fixing device such as a pin, the crimping body 115 can maintain the forward posture, but it is not shown.

Next, the coupling body 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the connecting body 120 of this embodiment. FIG. 11 is a front view of the connecting body 120. FIG. FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the connecting body 120.

The connecting body 120 connects adjacent conveying bodies 110 and can elastically expand and contract in the conveying direction of the conveying body 110. The connecting body 120 is fixed to the connecting portion 118 of the adjacent conveying body 110 at both ends thereof. In addition, the connecting body 120 is configured such that contraction deformation and expansion deformation each require a predetermined load. That is, since the connecting body 120 deforms inelastically, load is required in both directions of elongation deformation and contraction deformation. Furthermore, the connecting body 120 is different from each other by allowing the connecting body to be connected by expansion and contraction The speed runs and the function of reducing the relative speed change of the adjacent conveying bodies is functioning.

In particular, as shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the connecting body 120 is formed by connecting a pair of crossed long plate-shaped first link members 121 and second link members 122 in the axial direction to form a plurality of telescopic types body. A pair of intersecting link members 121 and 122 are rotatably connected to each other by the first shaft 123 at the intersection of the center thereof. Furthermore, each link member 121, 122 is connected to the other pair of link members adjacent to each other by a second shaft 124 in a rotatable manner. That is, with the first axis 123 and the second axis 124 as the centers, the link members 121 and 122 of the entire connecting body 120 rotate with each other, whereby, as shown in FIGS. 11(a) and (b), the connecting body 120 moves in the manner of extension or contraction. Furthermore, the first shaft 123 connects the link members 121 and 122 via a damper structure that requires a predetermined torque to rotate the cross link members 121 and 122.

In more detail, the first shaft 123 penetrates the center of the pair of first link members 121 and the second link members 122 that cross one pair. The first shaft 123 is fixed to the first link member 121 on the near side, and on the other hand, is rotatably supported by the second link member 122. In addition, the first gear 126 is integrally fixed to the first shaft 123 between the first link member 121 and the second link member 122. That is, when the first link member 121 rotates relative to the second link member 122, the first gear 126 rotates relative to the second link member 122 together with the first link member 121. On the other hand, a rotary damper 125 is fixed to the second link member 122 adjacent to the first shaft 123. The rotary damper 125 includes a base fixed to the second link member 122 and a shaft that protrudes from the base and requires a predetermined torque for rotation. The second gear 127 is integrally fixed to the shaft portion of the rotary damper 125. That is, the second gear 127 can be rotatably supported by the second link member 122 with a predetermined torque. Furthermore, the second gear 127 is arranged so as to mesh with the first gear 126.

That is, when the first link member 121 rotates relative to the second link member 122, the first gear 126 meshes with the second gear 127, and the shaft portion of the rotary damper 125 rotates together with the second gear 127. Since the rotation of the shaft portion of the rotary damper 125 requires a predetermined torque, the rotation of the first link member 121 relative to the second link member 122 also requires a torque. As described above, the connecting body 120 is configured such that the contraction deformation and the expansion deformation require a predetermined load.

In addition, in this embodiment, the damper structure is formed only on the first shaft 123, but it may be formed on both the first shaft 123 and the second shaft 124, or may be formed only on the second shaft 124. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connecting body 120 includes five rotations and requires about 0.004N. Rotary damper 125 with torque of m. However, the present invention is not limited to this form, and the load required for the expansion and contraction deformation of the connecting body can be arbitrarily determined in consideration of the power of the conveying body and the like. Furthermore, as shown in the coupling body 120 ′ of FIG. 13, when the link member is coupled, the screw may be firmly tightened to a certain degree so as to require a force to turn instead of the rotary damper 125. Alternatively, it may be configured to interpose a high-friction body between the abutting link members in a manner that prevents smooth rotation. In either case, a predetermined load is required for the elongation and contraction of the connected body.

Next, referring to FIGS. 14 to 16, a conveyance rail 150 that constitutes a part of the conveyance system 10 of the present embodiment and conveys the object in the conveyance direction will be described. 14 is a perspective view of the transport rail 150. 15(a) and (b) are a plan view and a side view of the transport rail 150. 16(a) and (b) are a B-B longitudinal cross-sectional view and a C-C cross-sectional view of the transport rail 150. FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 14 to 16, the transport rail 150 is provided with a top wall portion 152 extending in a long shape in the transport direction, and one of the top walls 152 hanging downward from both ends of the width (short side) direction of the top wall portion 152 The side wall portion 153 and the opening portion 154 that opens downward between the pair of side wall portions 153 are formed. At the opening ends of the side wall portions 153, rail portions 151 protruding inward are formed, respectively. The interval between the pair of rail portions 151 extending in the longitudinal direction (transport direction) is larger than the width of the transport body 111 and corresponds to the position of the pair of wheels constituting the running portion 113. Furthermore, a spreader 157 for suspending and fixing the transport rail 150 to the structure is fixed to the upper surface of the top wall portion 152.

On the other hand, a conveying portion 155 is provided on the opposite side (rear side) of the opening 154 of the conveying rail 150. The conveyance unit 155 is provided on the rail unit 151 in parallel, and drives the transport body 110 so as to run on the rail unit 151. The conveying portion 155 includes a plurality of pulleys 155a rotatably supported between the two side wall portions 153, and a conveying belt 155b suspended on the plurality of pulleys 155a. In addition, for convenience of description, the depiction of the conveyor belt 155b is omitted in FIG. 14. In addition, the pulley 155a and the conveyor belt 155b are driven to rotate by the power unit 156. The power unit 156 may use a rotation driving device such as a motor. The crimping plate 115b of the crimping body 115 is crimped to the surface of the conveyor belt 155b, and the carrier 110 moves as the conveyor belt 155b rotates and drives.

In addition to the power supply area X provided with both the rail portion 151 and the conveyance portion 155 described in FIGS. 14 to 16, the transport rail 150 may optionally have a rail formed adjacent to the power supply area X and provided with a rail The part 151 is not provided with the power-missing region Y of the conveying part 155 (refer to FIGS. 19 to 21). That is, the conveyance rail 150 may be alternately constituted by the power supply area X and the power loss area Y.

In addition, although the conveyance rail 150 is schematically shown as one unit or part for convenience of explanation, in fact, in order to connect the one-step implementation site to at least one other-step implementation site far away from it, the conveyance rail 150 is used. Can be constructed as a long strip. In addition, the transport rail 150 may be laid in a straight line, may be laid in a curved or meandering manner, or may be laid in a ring shape. In addition, the length of the transport rail 150 can be arbitrarily determined according to the land.

FIG. 17 is a schematic perspective view of the transport system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 17, the transport system 10 of the present embodiment is composed of the transport device 100 (a pair of transport bodies 110 and the coupling body 120) and the transport rail 150 described above.

As shown in FIG. 18, the upper part of the transport body 110 is accommodated inside the transport rail 150 via the opening 154 of the transport rail 150. A pair of running parts 113 of the transport body 110 are placed on the pair of rail parts 151 of the transport rail 150, and the crimping plate 115 b of the crimping body 115 is crimped to the conveyor belt 155 b of the transport part 155. That is, by rotating and driving the conveying part 155 in a state where the conveying body 110 is coupled to the conveying part 155 via the crimping body 120, the traveling part 113 travels on the rail part 151 in the conveying direction.

FIG. 19 shows one form of the conveying system 10 in which the conveying device 100 travels in the area where the power supply area X of the conveying rail 150 continues. In the transport system 10 of FIG. 19, three units having a power supply area X are combined. In each unit, the conveying unit 155 is synchronously driven at the same speed. Therefore, the first first transport body 110-1 and the second rear transport body 110-2 run on the transport rail 150 at the same speed. At this time, the distance between the first transport body 110-1 and the second transport body 110-2 is the length L1 of the connecting body 120. Since the first and second transport bodies 110-1 and 110-2 run on the transport rail 150 at the same speed, the link body 120 maintains the length L1 during transport.

FIGS. 20 and 21 show one form of the conveying system 10 in which the conveying device 100 runs in an area where the power supply area X and the power lacking area Y are alternately arranged on the conveying rail 150.

In FIG. 20, the first conveying body 110-1 enters the automatic power supply area X into the power loss area Y, and the second conveying body 110-2 remains in the power supply area X. At this time, the driving force is supplied to the second transport body 110-2, whereas the driving force is not supplied to the first transport body 110-1. In addition, since the first conveying body 110-1 and the second conveying body 110-2 are connected by the retractable connecting body 120, the connecting body 120 shrinks and deforms to a length L2 (<L1) and is arranged before and after the conveying rail 150 The second transport body 110-2 travels relatively faster than the first transport body 110-1. In addition, since a predetermined load is required for the contraction and deformation of the connecting body 120, the second transport body 110-2 is driven to press the first transport body 110-1 in the transport direction. At the same time, since the coupling body 120 functions to reduce the relative speed change of the first conveying body 110-1 and the second conveying body 110-2, the second conveying body 110-2 gradually follows the first conveying body 110-1 speed change.

In FIG. 21, the first conveyance body 110-1 enters the power-supply area X with the automatic power loss area Y, and the second conveyance body 110-2 remains in the power-loss area Y. At this time, the driving force is supplied to the first transport body 110-1, whereas the driving force is not supplied to the second transport body 110-2. In addition, since the first conveying body 110-1 and the second conveying body 110-2 are connected by the retractable connecting body 120, the connecting body 120 expands and deforms to a length L3 (>L1) and is arranged before and after the conveying rail 150 The first transport body 110-1 runs at a speed relatively faster than the second transport body 110-2. In addition, since a predetermined load is required for the contraction and deformation of the connecting body 120, the first conveying body 110-1 is driven to pull the second conveying body 110-2 in the conveying direction. At the same time, since the connecting body 120 functions to reduce the relative speed change of the first conveying body 110-1 and the second conveying body 110-2, the second conveying body 110-2 gradually follows the first conveying body 110-1 speed change.

Hereinafter, the operational effects of the transport device 100 and the transport system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

According to the transport device 100 (transport system 10) of the present embodiment, the connecting body 120 that connects the plurality of transport bodies 110 is configured to indefinitely contract and deform and expand and deform to require a predetermined load. Thereby, the connecting body 120 allows the first conveying body 110-1 and the second conveying body 110-2 arranged before and after the conveying rail to travel at different speeds by stretching and deforming, and causes the first conveying body 110-1 And the second conveying body 110-2 functions to reduce the relative speed change. For example, as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, when the transport system 10 includes the transport rail 150 having both the power supply area X and the power loss area Y, when the first transport body 110-1 and the second transport body When any one of 110-2 is located in the power loss region Y, the relative speed and distance of the first conveying body 110-1 and the second conveying body change. At this time, since a predetermined load is required for the expansion and contraction of the connecting body 120, the connecting body 120 absorbs the sudden relative speed change of the first conveying body 110-1 and the second conveying body 110-2. Alternatively, when the first conveying body 110-1 stops the first conveying body 110-1 and the second conveying body 110-2 in sequence, after the first conveying body 110-1 stops, the connecting body 120 shrinks At the same time, the speed of the second carrier 110-2 decreases. As a result, the transport device 100 can be stopped more stably. Therefore, according to the conveying device 100 and the conveying system 10 of the present embodiment, it is possible to convey the object more stably with respect to the stop motion or speed change of the conveying body 110.

In addition, according to the transport device (transport system 10) of the present embodiment, the connecting body 120 is a telescopic retractable body, whereby the connecting body 120 can be mechanically expanded and contracted and deformed with a simple structure. Furthermore, by providing a load to the plurality of first shafts 123 connecting a pair of crossed link members 121 and 122 at the intersection, the connecting body 120 can be configured to expand and contract with a predetermined load. In addition, the first shaft 123 connects the link members 121 and 122 via the rotary damper 125, whereby the coupling body 120 can be stably operated for a long period of time.

Furthermore, according to the transport system 10 of the present embodiment, the transport rail 150 is composed of the power supply area X and the power lacking area Y. That is, when the preceding first transport body 110-1 enters the automatic power supply area X into the power loss area Y, the distance between the first transport body 110-1 and the second transport body 110-2 gradually decreases, and the first transport body The gradual speed change of 110-1 and the second carrier 110-2 is possible. On the other hand, when the preceding first conveying body 110-1 enters the power supply area X with the automatic power loss area Y, the first conveying body The distance between 110-1 and the second conveying body 110-2 gradually increases, and a gradual speed change of the first conveying body 110-1 and the second conveying body 110-2 becomes possible. That is, it is possible to arrange the power loss region Y on the transport rail 150 of the transport system 10 without reducing the stability of the transport. As a result, a work area for decelerating or stopping the transport body 110 can be arbitrarily arranged. Furthermore, the relative reduction in the power supply area X can achieve cost reduction or energy consumption reduction.

[Variation]

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the conveying device is configured by connecting two conveying bodies with one connecting body, or may be constituted by connecting three or more conveying bodies with two or more connecting bodies. That is, the number of carriers can be selected according to their use.

The form of the carrier of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. That is, as long as the form of the conveying body, the crimping body, and the running part of the conveying body can exert its function, various structures can be adopted. For example, the form of the conveying body as described in Japanese Patent No. 5878996 of the present inventor may be adopted.

The form of the transport rail of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, it is possible to omit the side wall portion and the top wall portion without making the conveying rail a shell shape, and adopt a long rod-shaped rail portion independently of the conveying portion. In addition, the rail portion and the running portion may be made into a rack and a pinion, and the conveyance body may run by the meshing of the gear teeth. If the rack and pinion are used in this way, it is advantageous for the transport body to travel when the transport path is laid in an inclined or vertical direction. Furthermore, instead of sandwiching the running part from above and below, the running part may run on one surface of the track part.

In addition, the conveying section is not limited to the form of the pulley and the conveyor belt, and any device can be used as long as it can maintain the crimping relationship with the crimping body and send the conveying body along the conveying path. For example, a plurality of driving wheels may be used in the conveying section, and the conveying body may be sent out as each driving wheel rotates.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments or modified examples, and can be implemented in various forms as long as it belongs to the technical scope of the present invention.

100‧‧‧Conveying device

110‧‧‧Carrier

111‧‧‧Transport body

112‧‧‧Support

113‧‧‧ Walking Department

115‧‧‧ Crimp body

116‧‧‧Control agency

118‧‧‧Link

120‧‧‧Connect

Claims (10)

A conveying device is composed of a plurality of conveying bodies which are provided with a rail part extending in the conveying direction of the object and a conveying part which is provided on the rail part and is rotationally driven in the conveying direction Traveling on the conveying track, characterized in that: each of the conveying bodies includes: a conveying body body; a traveling portion for the conveying body body to travel on the track portion; and a crimping body supported on the conveying body body and crimped to the above The conveying part connects the conveying body to the conveying part, and the plurality of conveying bodies are connected to each other by a connecting body that can be deformed in the conveying direction. The first conveying body among the plurality of conveying bodies precedes the second The conveying body travels on the conveying rail. The connecting system is constructed in such a manner that contraction deformation and expansion deformation each require a predetermined load. The connecting body allows the first conveying body and the second conveying body to interact with each other by expanding and contracting. Different and always non-zero speed, or allow the first transport body and the second transport body to stop in sequence from the first transport body, and make the relative speed of the first transport body and the second transport body The change is reduced. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the conveying body includes a control mechanism that drives the crimping body toward the conveying section and drives the crimping body away from the conveying section to control The crimping of the crimping body to the conveying part and the release of the crimping. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting system includes a plurality of telescopic telescopic bodies formed by connecting a pair of intersecting link members in the axial direction. The conveying device according to claim 3, wherein the pair of intersecting link members are rotatably connected to each other by a first axis at an intersection, and the link members are adjacent to other adjacent links at both ends The members are rotatably connected to each other by the second shaft, and either or both of the first shaft and the second shaft connect the link member so that the rotation of the link member requires a predetermined torque Connect with each other. The conveyance device according to claim 4, wherein either or both of the first shaft and the second shaft connect the link members to each other via a rotary damper. A conveying system is characterized by comprising: a plurality of conveying bodies which convey an object to a predetermined position in a conveying direction; and a conveying track which is provided with an object extending in the conveying direction of the object and allowing the conveying body to travel A rail portion and a transport portion provided in parallel with the rail portion and driven to rotate in the transport direction; and each of the transport bodies includes: a transport body body; a traveling portion for the transport body body to travel on the rail portion; and The connecting body is supported by the conveying body and press-contacted to the conveying part to connect the conveying body to the conveying part. The plural conveying bodies are connected to each other by a connecting body that can be deformed in the conveying direction. The first transport body of the two transport bodies travels on the transport rail in a way that precedes the second transport body. The connection system is constructed in such a manner that contraction deformation and expansion deformation each require a predetermined load. The connection body is formed by expansion and contraction Allowing the first transport body and the second transport body to travel at mutually different and always non-zero speeds, or allowing the first transport body and the second transport body to sequentially stop from the first transport body, and causing the above The relative speed change of the first transport body and the second transport body is reduced. The conveyance system according to claim 6, wherein the conveyance rail includes a power supply area provided with both the rail portion and the conveyance portion; and a power loss area formed adjacent to the power supply area and provided with the above The rail portion is not provided with the conveyance portion, and the power supply area and the power lack area are alternately arranged. The conveying system according to claim 6, wherein the conveying body includes a control mechanism that drives the crimping body toward the conveying section and drives the crimping body away from the conveying section to control The crimping of the crimping body to the conveying part and the release of the crimping. The conveying system as described in claim 6, wherein the above connection system connects a pair of cross A plurality of telescopic telescopic bodies formed by connecting rod members in the axial direction. The conveying system according to claim 9, wherein the pair of intersecting link members are rotatably connected to each other by a first axis at an intersection, and the link members are adjacent to other adjacent links at both ends The members are rotatably connected to each other by the second shaft, and either or both of the first shaft and the second shaft connect the link member in such a manner that the rotation of the link member requires a predetermined load They are connected via a rotary damper.

Images