US20090129900A1 - Transferring apparatus and large transferring apparatus - Google Patents
Transferring apparatus and large transferring apparatus Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20090129900A1 US20090129900A1 US12/272,250 US27225008A US2009129900A1 US 20090129900 A1 US20090129900 A1 US 20090129900A1 US 27225008 A US27225008 A US 27225008A US 2009129900 A1 US2009129900 A1 US 2009129900A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- arm
- axis
- transferring apparatus
- circular plate
- pinion
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
- B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
- B25J9/00—Programme-controlled manipulators
- B25J9/02—Programme-controlled manipulators characterised by movement of the arms, e.g. cartesian coordinate type
- B25J9/04—Programme-controlled manipulators characterised by movement of the arms, e.g. cartesian coordinate type by rotating at least one arm, excluding the head movement itself, e.g. cylindrical coordinate type or polar coordinate type
- B25J9/046—Revolute coordinate type
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
- B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
- B25J18/00—Arms
- B25J18/02—Arms extensible
- B25J18/04—Arms extensible rotatable
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
- B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
- B25J9/00—Programme-controlled manipulators
- B25J9/0084—Programme-controlled manipulators comprising a plurality of manipulators
- B25J9/009—Programme-controlled manipulators comprising a plurality of manipulators being mechanically linked with one another at their distal ends
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
- B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
- B25J9/00—Programme-controlled manipulators
- B25J9/02—Programme-controlled manipulators characterised by movement of the arms, e.g. cartesian coordinate type
- B25J9/04—Programme-controlled manipulators characterised by movement of the arms, e.g. cartesian coordinate type by rotating at least one arm, excluding the head movement itself, e.g. cylindrical coordinate type or polar coordinate type
- B25J9/041—Cylindrical coordinate type
- B25J9/042—Cylindrical coordinate type comprising an articulated arm
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
- B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
- B25J9/00—Programme-controlled manipulators
- B25J9/10—Programme-controlled manipulators characterised by positioning means for manipulator elements
- B25J9/102—Gears specially adapted therefor, e.g. reduction gears
- B25J9/1035—Pinion and fixed rack drivers, e.g. for rotating an upper arm support on the robot base
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
- B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
- B25J9/00—Programme-controlled manipulators
- B25J9/10—Programme-controlled manipulators characterised by positioning means for manipulator elements
- B25J9/106—Programme-controlled manipulators characterised by positioning means for manipulator elements with articulated links
- B25J9/1065—Programme-controlled manipulators characterised by positioning means for manipulator elements with articulated links with parallelograms
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16H—GEARING
- F16H37/00—Combinations of mechanical gearings, not provided for in groups F16H1/00 - F16H35/00
- F16H37/12—Gearings comprising primarily toothed or friction gearing, links or levers, and cams, or members of at least two of these types
- F16H37/124—Gearings comprising primarily toothed or friction gearing, links or levers, and cams, or members of at least two of these types for interconverting rotary motion and reciprocating motion
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16H—GEARING
- F16H19/00—Gearings comprising essentially only toothed gears or friction members and not capable of conveying indefinitely-continuing rotary motion
- F16H19/02—Gearings comprising essentially only toothed gears or friction members and not capable of conveying indefinitely-continuing rotary motion for interconverting rotary or oscillating motion and reciprocating motion
- F16H19/04—Gearings comprising essentially only toothed gears or friction members and not capable of conveying indefinitely-continuing rotary motion for interconverting rotary or oscillating motion and reciprocating motion comprising a rack
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16H—GEARING
- F16H37/00—Combinations of mechanical gearings, not provided for in groups F16H1/00 - F16H35/00
- F16H37/12—Gearings comprising primarily toothed or friction gearing, links or levers, and cams, or members of at least two of these types
- F16H2037/128—Generating reciprocating motion by a planetary gear (ratio 2:1) using endless flexible members
Definitions
- This invention relates to a transferring apparatus, particularly to a transferring apparatus used for supplying and retrieving a semi-processed work to and from a pressing machine or stamping machine, and to a large transferring apparatus using two transferring apparatuses which transfer a large work by holding with more than two places spaced widely.
- JP '262 the arm operating apparatus of the robot of joint type is disclosed.
- the first arm is rotatably attached to a pedestal, and the second arm whose length is same as the first arm is rotatably coupled to the front end of the first arm.
- the belt is wrapped between the first pulley fixed to the pedestal and the second pulley fixed to the base end of the second arm.
- the diameter of the second pulley is made to be 1 ⁇ 2 of the diameter of the first pulley.
- the first arm swings reciprocatingly by a motor.
- the first arm swings and the second arm also swings as the same angle as the first arm synchronized with the first arm through the pulley and the belt. Resultantly, the grip portion attached to the front end of the second arm operates reciprocatingly in liner motion.
- JP '262 the apparatus to parallely move the grip portion is disclosed.
- the belt is wrapped between a fixed pulley fixed to the pedestal, and the intermediate pulley which is concentric with the second pulley and which has the same diameter as the first pulley.
- the driven pulley of the same diameter as the intermediate pulley is fixed to the grip portion.
- the belt is wrapped between the intermediate pulley and the driven pulley.
- JP '183 the handling robot having the first arm and the second arm which are about same as those of JP '262 is disclosed.
- the pedestal is rotated horizontally, and the grip portion is rotated by a motor attached to the joint portion of the second arm and the first arm through the pulley and the belt.
- JP '393 the work retrieving apparatus having the first arm and the second arm which are about same as JP '262 is disclosed.
- the first arm is rotated or driven by the first motor attached to a pedestal, and the second arm is rotated by a second motor through the pulley and the belt.
- the chuck portion (grip portion) attached to the front end of the second arm can be moved to the arbitrary position in a vertical plane and with arbitrary trajectory by two axis control.
- the two axis control can independently rotate the first arm and the second arm. For example, it can be moved up and down to retrieve the molded object from the extrusion molding machine, and it can move the object horizontally to a predetermined position.
- the length of the first arm and the second arm may be not identical.
- JP '976 the vacuum robot for transferring substrates which is about same as JP '393 in the point that the first arm and the second arm are made to operate independently.
- JP '381 the transferring apparatus of horizontal revolution type which is about same as JP '183 is disclosed.
- the apparatus has a tilt mechanism to be capable of controlling the angle of a hand independently to a second arm.
- JP '406 the work transferring apparatus in the tandem press line is disclosed.
- This apparatus has a pair of beam installed between adjacent press machines; the carrier running along the beam; the swinging table swingably hanged to the carrier and being swingingly driven; the feed lever provided by the swinging table through the linear moving mechanism (extend/retract mechanism).
- the extension and retraction of the feed lever are independently operated. And these operations are combined to carry out the work transfer between the pressing machines of the tandem press line.
- the arm equipped with the vacuum cup is further provided swingably at the front end of the feed lever extending and retarecting from the swinging table.
- the transferring apparatus for large machines is disclosed, in which the work transferring apparatuses provided as the pair in left and right, support the cross bar extending left and right, and the vacuum cup provided in the cross bar holds the work.
- the apparatus of JP '262 has a merit that while having a joint type structure suitable for transferring a comparatively heavy work, it can transfer the work linearly.
- the length of the first arm and the length of the second arm are identical, it is necessary to adapt the height of the pedestal to the transfer level.
- it is necessary to adapt the height of the pedestal of the robot to the transfer level such as in the case that the installed position of the pedestal and the mounted position of the work, for example, the pressing die is different. This is same for the handling robot of JP '183, even if the first arm and the second arm are changed so as to turn around a horizontal axis to make it suitable for the transfer of a heavy load.
- the product retrieving apparatus of JP '393 is that which independently controls a first arm and a second arm. In this, even if the point that the length of the arms is not identical can be applied to the apparatus of JP '262 in which the arms are synchronously swung. It cannot perform linear transfer if nothing is done. This is also same for the JP '976. Moreover, in the transferring apparatus of JP '381, the length of the first arm and the second arm is equal (see paragraph [0014]).
- the work transferring apparatus of JP '406 performs up and down movement and forward and backward movement by combining the swinging of a swinging table. Therefore, the linear movement (extend/retract) of a feed arm is achieved, but it needs a large stroke in the linear movement mechanism, making it unsuitable for high speed transfer.
- This invention is directed to provide a transferring apparatus which can transfer a work at high speed about linearly by synchronizing mechanically a first arm and a second arm which are rotatably coupled. Further, this invention is directed secondly to provide a large transferring apparatus suitable for a heavy load using this transferring apparatus.
- a transferring apparatus of this invention is composed of a pedestal having a first axis, a first arm having a base end and a front end, a second arm having a length different to the first arm and having a base end and a front end, a hand attached to the front end of the second arm, and a drive means to swing the first arm reciprocatingly.
- the first arm is swingably provided around the first axis, and the front end is equipped with a second axis parallel with the first axis.
- the second arm is swingably provided around the second axis.
- the transferring apparatus further has a first circular plate having a center and a periphery, a second circular plate having a center and a periphery, and a torque transmission means interposed between the periphery of the first circular plate and the periphery of the second circular plate.
- the first circular plate is attached to the pedestal, and the center is within the first axis.
- the second circular plate attached to the base end of the second arm, and the center is within the second axis.
- the torque transmission swings the second arm synchronously with the first arm.
- a ratio of a diameter of the first circular plate and a diameter of the second circular plate is set so that the front end of the second arm moves about linearly when the second arm swings synchronously with the first arm.
- an angle adjusting mechanism of the second arm can adjust the angle of the first circular plate.
- a parallel movement mechanism can be included, which maintains the hand at a predetermined angle always with respect to a rest frame regardless of the turn of the first arm.
- Another aspect of this invention comprises a pedestal having a first axis, a first arm having a base end and a front end, a second arm having a base end and a front end, a third arm having a front end, a hand attached to the front end of the third arm, and a drive means to swing the first arm reciprocatingly.
- the first arm is swingably provided around the first axis, and the front end is equipped a second axis parallel with the first axis.
- the second arm is swingably provided around the second axis.
- the third arm protrudes from the front end of the second arm and the third arm performs liner motion against the second arm.
- the second aspect of the transferring apparatus further comprises a first circular plate having a center and a periphery, a second circular plate having a center and a periphery, a torque transmission means interposed between the periphery of the first circular plate and the periphery of the second circular plate, an extend/retract drive means to extend and retract the third arm, and a control means to control so that the front end of the third arm moves about linearly accompanying with a swing of the first arm.
- the first circular plate is attached to the pedestal and the center is within the first axis.
- the second circular plate is attached to the base end of the second arm and the center is within the second axis.
- the torque transmission swings the second arm synchronously with the first arm.
- a tilt mechanism to swing the hand around the front end of the second arm or the front end of the third arm can be included.
- first circular plate and the second circular plate are pinions
- the torque transmission means is equipped with a rack meshing with these pinions.
- the pair of racks are arranged at both sides in left and right line connecting the first axis and the second axis, and at least one pinion is provided so as to tolerate the variation of the distance to the other pinion. Further, at the same time, the one pinion is energized or forced in a departing direction or an approaching direction to the other pinion.
- a large transferring apparatus of this invention includes the transferring apparatus of the above invention arranged as one pair in left and right of processing machine, a beam to interconnect the hands of these transferring apparatuses, and a work holding means provided in the beam.
- the first axis and the second axis of the left and the right transferring apparatus are arranged concentrically to each other. Further, the first axis and the second axis extend perpendicular to the transfer direction of the work and horizontally, and the each left and the right drive means operates synchronously mutually.
- the transferring apparatus of this invention since the length of the first arm and the second arm is different, it is not necessary to adapt the pedestal to the transfer line, allowing the installation at a suitable position. Further, because the ratio of the first circular plate and the second circular plate is set to move the front end of the second arm about linearly when the second arm swings synchronously with the first arm, even though the length of the first arm and the second arm is different. Therefore, it is possible to perform the transfer similar to the conventional transferring apparatuses.
- the transferring apparatus equipped with an angle adjusting mechanism of the second arm to adjust the fixed angle of the first circular plate can tilt the moving trajectory of the hand to a reference position by shifting the phase of the second arm by adjusting the fixed angle.
- the transferring apparatus can be equipped with a parallel movement mechanism to maintain the hand at a predetermined angle with respect to a rest frame regardless of the swing of the first arm. Since the posture of a work does not change when the hand moves, the design or the planning of the hand and the positioning jig etc. are easy.
- the transferring apparatus of this invention since fundamental movements can be achieved by the joint type first arm and the joint type second arm, rapid linear movement is possible. Moreover, appearing and disappearing of the third arm from the front end of the second arm allow fine movements such as avoiding a pressing die. Further, the transferring apparatus which is equipped with a tilt mechanism swinging the hand to the second arm, can change the angle of a work when in transferring a work and in mounting it on a jig etc. Hence, it is possible to transfer at an angle suitable for transferring, and to mount at an angle suitable for mounting.
- the first circular plate and the second circular plate may be pinions, and the torque transmission means may equipped with racks meshing with these pinions. It can make the torque transmissibility large compared with that using a belt. It may be that the rack are arranged at both side as one pair in left and right of a line connecting the first axis and the second axis, and at least one pinion is provided so as to tolerate the variation of the distance to the other pinion, and one pinion is energized in a direction to depart from or to become close to the other pinion.
- the transferring apparatuses arranged as one pair in the left and right of a processing machine transfer one sheet or one each of work in a coordinated manner, thereby the weight imposed on one apparatus becomes small. Further, the edge portion of a work can be stably held and the load are reduced, therefore the load torque applied to the hand becomes small.
- FIG. 1 is a side cross section showing an embodiment of the transferring apparatus of this invention.
- FIG. 2 a and FIG. 2 b are respectively a simplified front view and a front view showing the working status of the transferring apparatus of this invention.
- FIG. 3 is a skeleton drawing showing the working status of the arm of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 4 is a front view showing the status in which the second arm only is turned from the status of FIG. 2 a.
- FIG. 5 is a skeleton drawing showing the working status of the arm from the status of FIG. 4 .
- FIG. 6 a is a front view showing an embodiment of the tilt mechanism related to this invention
- FIG. 6 b and FIG. 6 c are explanatory drawings of the working status of the tilt mechanism.
- FIG. 7 a is a front view showing the other embodiment of the tilt mechanism related to this invention
- FIG. 7 b and FIG. 7 c are explanatory drawings of the working status of the tilt mechanism.
- FIG. 8 , FIG. 9 , and FIG. 10 are respectively the front view, plan view, and side view showing an embodiment of the large transferring apparatus of this invention.
- FIG. 11 a, FIG. 11 b, and FIG. 11 c are respectively outline explanatory drawings showing the other embodiment of the power transmission mechanism of the first arm related to this invention.
- FIG. 12 a and FIG. 12 b are respectively outline explanatory drawings showing further the other embodiment of the power transmission mechanism of the first arm related to this invention.
- FIG. 13 a and FIG. 13 b are a front view and a side view showing the embodiment of the extend/retract arm related to the transferring apparatus of this invention.
- FIG. 14 a is a back view of the extend/retract arm
- FIG. 14 b is a front view showing the internal structure of the third arm of the extend/retract arm.
- FIG. 15 is a front view showing the embodiment of the transferring apparatus equipped with the extend/retract arm of FIG. 13 a.
- FIG. 16 is a side view showing the working status of the transferring apparatus.
- the transferring apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a pedestal 11 , a first arm 12 of which the base end is swingably provided to the pedestal and is extended upward in a reference position, a second arm 13 which is provided swingably in the upper end of the first arm and is extended downward in the reference position, a hand 14 attached to the front end of the second arm, and a first motor M 1 to reciprocatingly swings the first arm 12 to the pedestal 11 .
- the center J 1 (a first axis) of rotation or swing of the first arm 12 and the center J 2 (a second axis) of rotation or swing of the second arm 13 are horizontal respectively and in parallel mutually.
- this transferring apparatus 10 further has a synchronous swinging mechanism 15 to swing the second arm 13 synchronously with the swing of the first arm 12 , as shown in FIG. 2 a.
- This mechanism 15 is equipped with a first pinion 16 installed so as not to move to the pedestal 11 , a second pinion 17 rotatably provided around the second axis J 2 and fixed to the second arm 13 , and one pair of left and right racks 18 , 19 which mesh with those pinions 16 , 17 and move up and down along the first arm 12 .
- the racks 18 , 19 may be the one of either the left or the right.
- the first pinion 16 is attached to the pedestal 11 through a second motor M 2 which is a component of a later described second arm angle adjusting mechanism 20 . It does not rotate as far as the second motor M 2 does not rotate.
- teeth 18 a, 19 a are formed in the portion only where meshing with the pinions 16 , 17 , and the racks 18 , 19 are supported slidably by the first arm 12 .
- the length L 2 of the second arm 13 (the distance between the center J 2 of rotation of the second arm and the hand 14 ) is shorter than the length L 1 of the first arm (the distance between the first axis J 1 and the second axis J 2 ). It is about 1 ⁇ 2 of the length L 1 of the first arm 12 .
- the diameter D 2 of the second pinion (the diameter of the pitch circle) is about 9/23 of the diameter D 1 of the first pinion 16 , which is made to be smaller than 1 ⁇ 2.
- the first arm 12 coupled to the output shaft of the motor M 1 swings as much as angle ⁇ 1 clockwise, for example, as shown in FIG. 2 b, around the first axis J 1 .
- the reference numeral K is a reference line of vertical direction.
- the first pinion 16 does not rotate, the one rack 18 supported by the first arm 12 descends toward the base end side of the first arm 12 .
- the other rack 19 performs linear movement so as to ascend toward the front end side.
- the second pinion 17 swings anti-clockwise until angle ⁇ 2 to the vertical line.
- the reference numeral 22 is a floor face.
- FIG. 2 b and FIG. 3 The graph of the relation between the height H and the angle ⁇ 1 of the first arm is shown in FIG. 2 b and FIG. 3 . As seen in the figures, the front end of the second arm 13 moves closer to a horizontal line shown by the chain line P.
- the front end of the second arm 13 moves horizontally strictly, as the apparatus of JP '262. But since in this transferring apparatus 10 , the length of the first arm 12 is about twice of the length L 2 of the second arm, and the ratio of the diameter D 1 of the first pinion 16 and the diameter D 2 of the second pinion 17 is about 23/9, the movement of the front end of the second arm does not becomes strictly horizontal. It deviates from the horizontal line along the way, but it is not much a problem in practice.
- the length L 2 of the second arm 13 is shorted than the length L 1 of the first arm.
- the ratio of the diameter D 1 of the first pinion 16 and the diameter D 2 of the second pinion 17 are suitably selected, as shown in FIG. 2 b and FIG. 3 . Therefore, the hand 14 of the front end of the second arm 13 can be moved about horizontally. Further, as found from FIG. 2 b, in the status that the first arm 12 is swung large to the reference line K, the second arm 13 swings further large to the vertical straight line K 2 .
- the first arm 12 is swung as much as the identical angle from the reference line to the front side and the back side. By swinging back and forth as thus, a work which is press-worked in the foregoing process of the left edge can be moved to the next pressing die. But, the swinging angle of first arm 12 is not necessary to be made identical in the fore and back. Moreover, it can be selected suitably according to the shape of the work to be transferred, the jig or the pressing die to retrieve the work, and the jig or the pressing die of the next process to which the work is supplied.
- the length of the second arm 13 is shortened as described above, even when the pedestal 11 is installed on the floor face 22 , the work can be transferred with the transfer level higher than the floor face.
- the work supplying height the height of the upper face of a pressing die
- the second arm 13 which is provided at the tip side of the apparatus and which moves largely, can be made light, thereby the whole inertia becomes small and the power of the first motor M 1 can be made small.
- This angle adjusting mechanism 20 of the second arm is that in which the second motor M 2 is connected to the first pinion 16 and the second arm 13 only is made to be advanced or delayed as much as the predetermined angle ⁇ 3 , while the first arm 12 remains stationary.
- the phase of the second arm 13 is made to be advanced as much as ⁇ 3 and the first arm 12 is swung by driving the first motor M 1
- the hand 14 of the front end of the second arm 13 moves along the inclined transfer line as shown by the chain line P 2 in FIG. 5 . Accordingly, in the case that there are obstacles in its way, transfer can be carried out via a path which avoids the interference with the obstacles. Inversely, in the case that the transfer is carried out with its movement being delayed, it becomes a transfer line inversely inclined, as shown in the imaginary line P 3 .
- a first gear 26 is provided concentrically to the first axis J 1 .
- This first gear 26 is coupled to the second gear 28 which is provided rotatably concentrically to the second axis J 2 through a torque transmission mechanism 27 .
- the torque transmission mechanism 27 comprises semi-circular sector gears 31 , 32 provided rotatably around shafts 29 , 30 supported respectively by the first arm 12 , a link 33 coupling those sector gears 31 , 32 .
- the link 33 is composed of two units which is one pair of the left and the right, but it may be one unit.
- the other torque transmission mechanism such as a chain, a pulley, a timing pulley can be adopted.
- the hand 14 of the front end of the second arm 13 is supported rotatably in the second arm 13 by a shaft 34 .
- a first timing pulley 35 is coupled to the second gear 28 so as to co-rotate, and a second timing pulley 36 is fixed to the shaft 34 so as to co-rotate.
- the timing pulleys (geared pulley) 35 , 36 are mutually coupled by a timing belt 37 (geared belt) which is a wrapping connector.
- the gear ratio of the first gear 26 and the second gear 28 is 1, and the gear ratio of the first timing pulley 35 and the second timing pulley 36 is also 1.
- the first gear 26 , the torque transmission mechanism 27 , the second gear 28 , the first timing pulley 37 , and the second timing pulley 36 composes a parallel movement mechanism 24 of the hand.
- a third motor M 3 is provided in the pedestal 11 .
- a drive gear 38 coupled to the output shaft of the third motor M 3 is meshed with the first gear 26 to constitute a tilt mechanism of the hand.
- This shaft 34 also does not rotate with respect to the rest frame similar to those described above. Accordingly, even when the second arm 13 swings accompanying the swing of the first arm 12 , the hand 14 moves about horizontally maintaining the original angle (see FIG. 6 b ). Thereby, the work held by the hand is transferred with its posture not changing, achieving parallel movement function.
- the tilt mechanism When the angle of the work is desired to be changed while retrieving or supplying a work, the tilt mechanism is used. In other words, when the position of the first arm is placed in any of the position, the third motor M 3 is rotated to rotate the drive gear 38 . This rotation is transmitted to the first gear 26 , and transmitted to the shaft 34 of the hand 14 through the torque transmission mechanism 27 , the second gear 28 , the first timing pulley 35 , the timing belt 37 , and the second timing pulley 36 . And the hand 14 rotates as much as the same predetermined angle as the first gear 26 (see FIG. 6 c ). Thereby, the posture of the work can be changed according to need.
- the torque transmission mechanism 27 equipped with two semi-circular sector gears 31 , 32 , is interposed between the first gear 26 and the second gear 28 .
- the semi-circular sector gear 26 a in place of the first gear and a rotating link 28 a in place of the second gear are directly coupled by a link 33 .
- the parallel movement mechanism of FIG. 6 a or FIG. 7 a is usually made to be a standard equipment. But there is a case that the adjustment mechanism and the tilt mechanism of the second arm are not necessary, this is usually made to be an option, because the second motor M 2 and the third motor M 3 should be added.
- the transferring apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 is arranged to be one pair in left and right spaced at an interval, and at the same time, a common transfer beam 41 is used as a hand.
- a vacuum cup or gripper which actually holds a work is attached to the beam 41 detachably.
- the left and the right transferring apparatus 10 is made to be plane symmetry, and as the pedestal 11 , that which is common large one is used.
- the second arm adjusting mechanism and the tilt mechanism are not equipped.
- the output shaft 42 of the first motor M 1 and the base end of the first arm 12 are coupled by a drive gear 43 fixed to an output shaft 42 and a driven gear 44 fixed to the first arm 12 , as shown in FIG. 9 .
- the motion of the large transferring apparatus 40 is substantially same as the transferring apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 as shown in FIG. 10 . And it can transfer one relatively large work in cooperation of the left and the right transferring apparatus 10 .
- the transfer distance can be lengthened by swinging left and right the first arm 12 , same as the case of FIG. 3 . Therefore, the tilt angle of the second arm 13 becomes small in the position of retrieving and supplying the work, and it makes the retrieving and supplying of the work easy.
- the transmission of power from the first pinion to the second pinion is done by the racks, but, the power transmission can be done by a gear train, as shown in FIG. 11 a. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 11 b, it can be done by pulleys 46 , 47 and a belt 48 , or a timing pulley and a timing belt, further, it can be done by a sprocket and a chain.
- the second pinion 17 is provided in some measure movable in the direction of the axis line of the arms to the first arm 50 , and is energized to the first pinion 16 side by a spring 51 .
- this first arm 50 there is no clearance between the upper side of the teeth of the left and the right racks 18 , 19 and the lower side of the teeth of the second pinion 17 , and the clearance is brought together between the lower side of the left and the right racks 18 , 19 and the upper side of the teeth of the second pinion 17 .
- the right side of the first pinion 16 , the right rack 19 , and the right side of the second pinion 17 transmit the power without clearance opposing the given energy, and do not transmit the power through the left rack 18 .
- any of the rack and pinion transmits the power without clearance. Accordingly, when the direction of rotation of the first pinion 16 changes, in other words, the swinging direction of the first arm 50 changes, no backlash is generated. Thereby, the vibration of the second arm is suppressed. This effect is same as the case that the second pinion 17 is energized in the direction of the front end side of the first arm 50 , in other words, the opposite side to the first pinion. Moreover, the first pinion 16 may be energized in the direction of the second pinion 17 side, or in the reverse direction. As the energizing means, other than a spring 51 , such as a gas spring utilizing an air cylinder can be used.
- FIG. 12 a and FIG. 12 b show respectively the mechanism of the other embodiments which drive without backlash.
- the racks 18 , 19 are meshing with the both sides of the first pinion 16 and an intermediate pinion 52 .
- the first pinion 16 is energized to the intermediate pinion 52 side by energizing means such as a spring 56 a, same as the above described embodiment.
- energizing means such as a spring 56 a, same as the above described embodiment.
- the second pinion 17 meshes with those idle gears 54 , 55 .
- the left and right idle gears 54 , 55 are energized in the direction of drawing apart mutually by an energizing means such as a spring 56 b.
- an energizing means such as a spring 56 b.
- the first pinion 16 rotates clockwise, the power is transmitted to the second pinion 17 without clearance through the left rack 18 and the left idle gear 54 .
- the power is transmitted without clearance through the right rack 19 and the right idle gear 55 . Accordingly, same as described above, when the swinging direction of the first arm changes, no backlash is generated.
- a driven gear 58 is fixed to the first arm 12 so as not to rotate. And, the rotation of the drive gear 59 , driven by the first motor, transmits the power to the driven gear 58 respectively through the left and the right intermediate pinions 60 , 61 provided rotatably in the first arm 12 .
- the each intermediate pinion 60 , 61 is fixed so that the large diameter gears 60 a, 61 a meshing with the drive gear 59 and the small diameter gears 60 b, 61 b meshing with the driven gear 58 are made to corotate.
- the direction of the backlash of the drive gear 59 and the large diameter gear 60 a, and direction of the backlash of the small diameter gear 60 b and the driven gear 58 are determined, so that the rotation is transmitted to the driven gear 58 without backlash through the left intermediate pinion 60 when the drive gear 59 rotates in one direction.
- the direction of the backlash of the drive gear 59 and the large diameter gear 61 a, and the direction of the back lash of the small diameter gear 61 b and the driven gear 58 are adjusted so that the rotation is transmitted to the driven gear 58 without backlash through the right intermediate pinion 61 when the drive gear 59 rotates in the reverse direction. Therefore, the rotation of the first motor can be transmitted without backlash in any direction of the rotation, and it suppresses the vibration even when the swinging direction of the first arm changes same as the case of FIG. 12 a.
- the extend/retract arm 62 shown in FIG. 13 a, FIG. 13 b is equivalent to the second arm 13 of the transferring apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , and is provided with an extend/retract mechanism.
- the extend/retract arm 62 is equipped with a rectangular pipe like arm holder 63 attached rotatably to the first arm 12 , and a sliding arm 64 housed slidably to the arm holder.
- the arm holder 63 is the second arm
- the sliding arm 64 becomes a third arm provided slidably to the second arm.
- the shaft 17 a of the second pinion 17 of the first arm 12 is fixed to the rear surface side of the upper end of the arm holder 63 .
- an opening 65 is formed in the side of the arm holder 63 , and a nut holder 66 fixed to the side of the sliding arm 64 protrudingly from the opening 65 .
- the nut 66 is omitted for easy understanding.
- upper and lower brackets 67 , 68 are attached, and these brackets 67 , 68 support a screw shaft 69 rotatably.
- the upper end of the screw shaft 69 is coupled with the output shaft of a fourth motor M 4 .
- a nut 70 screwing together with the screw shaft 69 is fixed to the nut holder 66 .
- the screw shaft 69 and the fourth motor M 4 etc. are also omitted.
- the extend/retract arm 62 composed as thus, when the fourth motor M 4 rotates in one direction, the screw shaft 69 rotates, the sliding arm 64 to which the nut 70 screwing together with the screw shaft descends, and its front end further protrudes from the lower end of the arm holder 63 . Thereby, the extend/retract arm 62 extends.
- the upper portion of the sliding arm 64 always protrudes from the upper end of the arm holder 63 , therefore the term “extends” here means the distance between the turning center of (the second axis J 2 ) of the arm holder 63 and the front end of the sliding arm 64 and the substantial whole length of the extend/retract arm 62 (the length of the sliding arm 64 ) does not change.
- the fourth motor M 4 rotates in the inverse direction, the sliding arm 64 ascends and its front end moves toward the direction of withdrawing. Thereby, the extend/retract arm 62 retracts.
- the reference numeral 71 of FIG. 13 a is a balance cylinder which energizes the sliding arm 64 upward in order to cancel the weight of the sliding arm 64 .
- a spring can be also adopted.
- As the screw shaft 69 and the nut 70 in order to reduce the friction torque, it is preferable to adopt a ball screw and a ball nut.
- the structure of the slide portion of the arm holder 63 and the sliding arm 64 is preferable to be composed by a linear motion bearing (linear ball bearing) 72 and a linear motion rail (LM rail) 73 fixed to the sliding arm 64 , as shown in FIG. 14 a. In this case, to receive the torque of rotational direction, two linear motion rails 73 are adopted.
- an independent tilt mechanism 74 is provided in the sliding arm 64 as shown in FIG. 14 b.
- This tilt mechanism 74 is composed of a first gear 75 and a second gear 76 rotatably provided in the upper end and the lower end of the sliding arm 64 respectively, a torque transmission mechanism 77 which transmits torque between the first gear 74 and the second gear 76 , a fifth motor (reference numeral M 5 of FIG. 13 b ) which rotatively drives the first gear 75 , and a hand holder 78 coupled with the second gear 76 .
- the torque transmission mechanism 77 comprises a semicircular sector gear 79 meshing with the first gear 75 , a sector gear 80 meshing with the second gear 76 , and a link 81 to couple these sector gears 79 , 80 mutually.
- other torque transmission mechanisms such as a pulley and a belt, particularly, a timing pulley and a timing belt, or a sprocket and a chain can also be adopted.
- fluid motors such as air motor or an oil hydraulic motor can be also adopted for saving the weight.
- the tilt mechanism 74 composed as above, when the fifth motor M 5 rotates in one direction, the hand holder 78 rotates through the first gear 75 , the torque transmission mechanism 77 , and the second gear 76 , and it control the tilt of the hand 14 holding a vacuum cup.
- the control of the fifth motor M 5 can be used to hold the tilt of the hand 14 horizantly in response to the angle of the extendable arm 62 , namely the tilt of the arm holder 63 . Further, the control of the fifth motor M 5 can also be used to tilt the hand 14 avoiding the interference with the pressing die or a pressing machine.
- the transferring apparatus 82 shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 is equipped with the first arm 12 rotatably provided around the first axis J 1 to the pedestal and the extend/retract arm 62 provided rotatably around the second axis J 2 in the front end of the first arm 12 , which are about similar to FIG. 1 . Since the length of the extend/retract arm 62 extends and retracts freely, as the case of the transferring apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 , the ratio of the length of the first arm 12 and the extend/retract arm 62 , and the ratio of the diameter of the first pinion 16 and the second pinion 17 are not so important.
- the length L 3 (the distance between the second axis J 2 and the turning axis J 3 of the hand holder) in the state that the extendable arm 62 is retracted is made to be same as the length L 1 of the first arm, the ratio of the diameter of the first pinion (first sector gear) 16 and the diameter of the second pinion 17 can be made to be 2:1.
- the length L 3 of the extend/retract arm 62 may be made always longer than the length L 1 of the first arm 12 , as shown in FIG. 16 . Further, it may be made shorter in the normal state and may be extended when needed. In this case, the length of the extending arm 62 and the first arm 12 may instantly become congruent, but fundamentally, it is the different length.
- the torque transmission can be made by one pair of the left and the right racks between the first pinion 16 and the second pinion 17 , same as the case of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 .
- the same diameter intermediate pinion 52 provided in the upper portion of the first arm 16 and the second arm 17 are coupled by one pair of the left and the right racks not shown in the figure.
- the intermediate pinion 52 and the second pinion 17 fixed to the arm holder 63 , are coupled through one pair of idle gears 54 , 55 .
- the reason that the racks and the idle gears 54 , 55 are provided as one pair left and right, is to eliminate the backlash.
- the extend/retract arm 62 when the first arm 12 is in the central reference position, the extend/retract arm 62 is retracted, and when the apparatus 82 is in the sate of retrieving a work in a pressing machine of upstream side (left side of FIG. 16 ), the extend/retract arm 62 is extended, as shown in FIG. 16 . And, after taking out the work, when it passes the reference position, the extend/retract arm 62 is retracted, and when the apparatus 82 is in the state of placing a work in a pressing machine of downstream side (right side of FIG. 16 ), the extend/retract arm 62 is extended again. And, when returning to the reference position, the extend/retract arm 62 is retracted.
- the pressing die of the pressing machine of upstream side and down stream side shown by the imaginary line it can approach from the upper side and can withdraw to the upper direction.
- the retrieving of a work from the pressing die and the supply of a work to the pressing die becomes smooth.
- the reference numeral 83 of FIG. 16 it is possible to overgo the obstacle by partially raising the trajectory of movement of the hand 14 .
- the moving trajectory of the hand 14 is selected so that the work does not interfere with the pressing die etc.
- the first motor M 1 to turn the first arm 12 and the fourth motor M 4 to move the sliding arm 64 are computer-controlled so as to realize the above described two dimensional trajectory. Moreover, the rotation of the fifth motor M 5 of the tilt mechanism 74 of FIG. 14 b is controlled so as to be electrically synchronized with the swing of the first arm 12 .
- the fundamental motion of the transfer is based on the swing of the first arm 12 around the first axis J 1 and the turn of the arm holder 63 mechanically coupled to the first arm 12 around the second axis J 2 . Thereby, the small amount of movement of the sliding arm is sufficient. Hence, a work can be transferred rapidly and safely, compared with the transferring apparatus of JP '406.
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Abstract
A transferring apparatus is composed of a first arm swingably provided around a first axis of a pedestal, a second arm whose length is different to the first arm is swingably provided around a second axis, a hand attached to the front end of the second arm, and a first motor to reciprocatingly swings the first arm provided in the pedestal. A first pinion is fixed to the pedestal concentrically to the first shaft, and a second pinion is fixed to the base end of the second arm concentrically with the second axis. Further, racks are provided in the both of left and right side of the first pinion and the second pinion. A large transferring apparatus is composed so that two transferring apparatus are arranged in one pair, the hand are mutually coupled by a transfer beam.
Description
- The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-298713 filed on Nov. 16, 2007. The content of the application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
- This invention relates to a transferring apparatus, particularly to a transferring apparatus used for supplying and retrieving a semi-processed work to and from a pressing machine or stamping machine, and to a large transferring apparatus using two transferring apparatuses which transfer a large work by holding with more than two places spaced widely.
- Japanese Published Patent Application No. S52-121262 (“JP '262”), the arm operating apparatus of the robot of joint type is disclosed. In this apparatus, the first arm is rotatably attached to a pedestal, and the second arm whose length is same as the first arm is rotatably coupled to the front end of the first arm. The belt is wrapped between the first pulley fixed to the pedestal and the second pulley fixed to the base end of the second arm. The diameter of the second pulley is made to be ½ of the diameter of the first pulley. The first arm swings reciprocatingly by a motor. Therefore, by driving the motor reciprocatingly, the first arm swings and the second arm also swings as the same angle as the first arm synchronized with the first arm through the pulley and the belt. Resultantly, the grip portion attached to the front end of the second arm operates reciprocatingly in liner motion.
- Further, in JP '262, the apparatus to parallely move the grip portion is disclosed. In this apparatus, the belt is wrapped between a fixed pulley fixed to the pedestal, and the intermediate pulley which is concentric with the second pulley and which has the same diameter as the first pulley. The driven pulley of the same diameter as the intermediate pulley, is fixed to the grip portion. The belt is wrapped between the intermediate pulley and the driven pulley.
- In Japanese Published Patent Application No. H06-143183 (“JP '183”), the handling robot having the first arm and the second arm which are about same as those of JP '262 is disclosed. In this robot, the pedestal is rotated horizontally, and the grip portion is rotated by a motor attached to the joint portion of the second arm and the first arm through the pulley and the belt.
- Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2000-233393 (“JP '393”), the work retrieving apparatus having the first arm and the second arm which are about same as JP '262 is disclosed. In this apparatus, the first arm is rotated or driven by the first motor attached to a pedestal, and the second arm is rotated by a second motor through the pulley and the belt. In this, the chuck portion (grip portion) attached to the front end of the second arm can be moved to the arbitrary position in a vertical plane and with arbitrary trajectory by two axis control. The two axis control can independently rotate the first arm and the second arm. For example, it can be moved up and down to retrieve the molded object from the extrusion molding machine, and it can move the object horizontally to a predetermined position. The length of the first arm and the second arm may be not identical.
- Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2002-66976 (“JP '976”), the vacuum robot for transferring substrates which is about same as JP '393 in the point that the first arm and the second arm are made to operate independently, is disclosed. And, in Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2005-238381 (“JP '381”), the transferring apparatus of horizontal revolution type which is about same as JP '183 is disclosed. The apparatus has a tilt mechanism to be capable of controlling the angle of a hand independently to a second arm.
- In Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2005-161406 (“JP '406”), the work transferring apparatus in the tandem press line is disclosed. This apparatus has a pair of beam installed between adjacent press machines; the carrier running along the beam; the swinging table swingably hanged to the carrier and being swingingly driven; the feed lever provided by the swinging table through the linear moving mechanism (extend/retract mechanism). In this work transferring apparatus, lengthwise or longitudinal movement of back and fourth of the carrier, back and fourth swing of the swinging table, the extension and retraction of the feed lever are independently operated. And these operations are combined to carry out the work transfer between the pressing machines of the tandem press line. Stated differently, by swinging the swing table while the carriers move between the pressing machines, and extending and retracting the feed lever tune with the swing, the up and down movement to retrieve the work, the forward movement to the next press machine, the up and down movement to release the work, the backward movement to retrieve the next work are sequentially be carried out.
- Further in JP '406, the arm equipped with the vacuum cup is further provided swingably at the front end of the feed lever extending and retarecting from the swinging table. Moreover, the transferring apparatus for large machines is disclosed, in which the work transferring apparatuses provided as the pair in left and right, support the cross bar extending left and right, and the vacuum cup provided in the cross bar holds the work.
- The apparatus of JP '262 has a merit that while having a joint type structure suitable for transferring a comparatively heavy work, it can transfer the work linearly. However, the length of the first arm and the length of the second arm are identical, it is necessary to adapt the height of the pedestal to the transfer level. Hence, in the case of transferring at a level higher than the floor, it is necessary to adapt the height of the pedestal of the robot to the transfer level, such as in the case that the installed position of the pedestal and the mounted position of the work, for example, the pressing die is different. This is same for the handling robot of JP '183, even if the first arm and the second arm are changed so as to turn around a horizontal axis to make it suitable for the transfer of a heavy load.
- The product retrieving apparatus of JP '393 is that which independently controls a first arm and a second arm. In this, even if the point that the length of the arms is not identical can be applied to the apparatus of JP '262 in which the arms are synchronously swung. It cannot perform linear transfer if nothing is done. This is also same for the JP '976. Moreover, in the transferring apparatus of JP '381, the length of the first arm and the second arm is equal (see paragraph [0014]).
- The work transferring apparatus of JP '406 performs up and down movement and forward and backward movement by combining the swinging of a swinging table. Therefore, the linear movement (extend/retract) of a feed arm is achieved, but it needs a large stroke in the linear movement mechanism, making it unsuitable for high speed transfer.
- This invention is directed to provide a transferring apparatus which can transfer a work at high speed about linearly by synchronizing mechanically a first arm and a second arm which are rotatably coupled. Further, this invention is directed secondly to provide a large transferring apparatus suitable for a heavy load using this transferring apparatus.
- A transferring apparatus of this invention is composed of a pedestal having a first axis, a first arm having a base end and a front end, a second arm having a length different to the first arm and having a base end and a front end, a hand attached to the front end of the second arm, and a drive means to swing the first arm reciprocatingly. The first arm is swingably provided around the first axis, and the front end is equipped with a second axis parallel with the first axis. The second arm is swingably provided around the second axis. The transferring apparatus further has a first circular plate having a center and a periphery, a second circular plate having a center and a periphery, and a torque transmission means interposed between the periphery of the first circular plate and the periphery of the second circular plate. The first circular plate is attached to the pedestal, and the center is within the first axis. The second circular plate attached to the base end of the second arm, and the center is within the second axis. The torque transmission swings the second arm synchronously with the first arm. Further, in the transferring apparatus, a ratio of a diameter of the first circular plate and a diameter of the second circular plate is set so that the front end of the second arm moves about linearly when the second arm swings synchronously with the first arm.
- In such transferring apparatus, an angle adjusting mechanism of the second arm can adjust the angle of the first circular plate. Further, a parallel movement mechanism can be included, which maintains the hand at a predetermined angle always with respect to a rest frame regardless of the turn of the first arm.
- Another aspect of this invention comprises a pedestal having a first axis, a first arm having a base end and a front end, a second arm having a base end and a front end, a third arm having a front end, a hand attached to the front end of the third arm, and a drive means to swing the first arm reciprocatingly. The first arm is swingably provided around the first axis, and the front end is equipped a second axis parallel with the first axis. The second arm is swingably provided around the second axis. The third arm protrudes from the front end of the second arm and the third arm performs liner motion against the second arm. The second aspect of the transferring apparatus further comprises a first circular plate having a center and a periphery, a second circular plate having a center and a periphery, a torque transmission means interposed between the periphery of the first circular plate and the periphery of the second circular plate, an extend/retract drive means to extend and retract the third arm, and a control means to control so that the front end of the third arm moves about linearly accompanying with a swing of the first arm. The first circular plate is attached to the pedestal and the center is within the first axis. The second circular plate is attached to the base end of the second arm and the center is within the second axis. The torque transmission swings the second arm synchronously with the first arm.
- And, a tilt mechanism to swing the hand around the front end of the second arm or the front end of the third arm can be included.
- In an embodiment the first circular plate and the second circular plate are pinions, and the torque transmission means is equipped with a rack meshing with these pinions. In this case, the pair of racks are arranged at both sides in left and right line connecting the first axis and the second axis, and at least one pinion is provided so as to tolerate the variation of the distance to the other pinion. Further, at the same time, the one pinion is energized or forced in a departing direction or an approaching direction to the other pinion.
- A large transferring apparatus of this invention includes the transferring apparatus of the above invention arranged as one pair in left and right of processing machine, a beam to interconnect the hands of these transferring apparatuses, and a work holding means provided in the beam. In this large transferring apparatus, the first axis and the second axis of the left and the right transferring apparatus are arranged concentrically to each other. Further, the first axis and the second axis extend perpendicular to the transfer direction of the work and horizontally, and the each left and the right drive means operates synchronously mutually.
- In the transferring apparatus of this invention, since the length of the first arm and the second arm is different, it is not necessary to adapt the pedestal to the transfer line, allowing the installation at a suitable position. Further, because the ratio of the first circular plate and the second circular plate is set to move the front end of the second arm about linearly when the second arm swings synchronously with the first arm, even though the length of the first arm and the second arm is different. Therefore, it is possible to perform the transfer similar to the conventional transferring apparatuses.
- The transferring apparatus equipped with an angle adjusting mechanism of the second arm to adjust the fixed angle of the first circular plate, can tilt the moving trajectory of the hand to a reference position by shifting the phase of the second arm by adjusting the fixed angle.
- Moreover, the transferring apparatus can be equipped with a parallel movement mechanism to maintain the hand at a predetermined angle with respect to a rest frame regardless of the swing of the first arm. Since the posture of a work does not change when the hand moves, the design or the planning of the hand and the positioning jig etc. are easy.
- In another aspect of the transferring apparatus of this invention, since fundamental movements can be achieved by the joint type first arm and the joint type second arm, rapid linear movement is possible. Moreover, appearing and disappearing of the third arm from the front end of the second arm allow fine movements such as avoiding a pressing die. Further, the transferring apparatus which is equipped with a tilt mechanism swinging the hand to the second arm, can change the angle of a work when in transferring a work and in mounting it on a jig etc. Hence, it is possible to transfer at an angle suitable for transferring, and to mount at an angle suitable for mounting.
- The first circular plate and the second circular plate may be pinions, and the torque transmission means may equipped with racks meshing with these pinions. It can make the torque transmissibility large compared with that using a belt. It may be that the rack are arranged at both side as one pair in left and right of a line connecting the first axis and the second axis, and at least one pinion is provided so as to tolerate the variation of the distance to the other pinion, and one pinion is energized in a direction to depart from or to become close to the other pinion. In this case, it transmits power from the first pinion to the second pinion through the rack in the side without backlash when the first arm turns to one direction, and transmits power through the other rack without backlash in its direction when it turns to the other direction. Hence, the vibration due to the backlash can be suppressed, when the swing direction of the first arm changes.
- In the large transferring apparatus of this invention, the transferring apparatuses arranged as one pair in the left and right of a processing machine transfer one sheet or one each of work in a coordinated manner, thereby the weight imposed on one apparatus becomes small. Further, the edge portion of a work can be stably held and the load are reduced, therefore the load torque applied to the hand becomes small.
- Next, the embodiment of the transferring apparatus of this invention is described with reference to the drawings.
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FIG. 1 is a side cross section showing an embodiment of the transferring apparatus of this invention. -
FIG. 2 a andFIG. 2 b are respectively a simplified front view and a front view showing the working status of the transferring apparatus of this invention. -
FIG. 3 is a skeleton drawing showing the working status of the arm ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 4 is a front view showing the status in which the second arm only is turned from the status ofFIG. 2 a. -
FIG. 5 is a skeleton drawing showing the working status of the arm from the status ofFIG. 4 . -
FIG. 6 a is a front view showing an embodiment of the tilt mechanism related to this invention,FIG. 6 b andFIG. 6 c are explanatory drawings of the working status of the tilt mechanism. -
FIG. 7 a is a front view showing the other embodiment of the tilt mechanism related to this invention,FIG. 7 b andFIG. 7 c are explanatory drawings of the working status of the tilt mechanism. -
FIG. 8 ,FIG. 9 , andFIG. 10 are respectively the front view, plan view, and side view showing an embodiment of the large transferring apparatus of this invention. -
FIG. 11 a,FIG. 11 b, andFIG. 11 c are respectively outline explanatory drawings showing the other embodiment of the power transmission mechanism of the first arm related to this invention. -
FIG. 12 a andFIG. 12 b are respectively outline explanatory drawings showing further the other embodiment of the power transmission mechanism of the first arm related to this invention. -
FIG. 13 a andFIG. 13 b are a front view and a side view showing the embodiment of the extend/retract arm related to the transferring apparatus of this invention. -
FIG. 14 a is a back view of the extend/retract arm,FIG. 14 b is a front view showing the internal structure of the third arm of the extend/retract arm. -
FIG. 15 is a front view showing the embodiment of the transferring apparatus equipped with the extend/retract arm ofFIG. 13 a. -
FIG. 16 is a side view showing the working status of the transferring apparatus. - The transferring
apparatus 10 shown inFIG. 1 includes apedestal 11, afirst arm 12 of which the base end is swingably provided to the pedestal and is extended upward in a reference position, asecond arm 13 which is provided swingably in the upper end of the first arm and is extended downward in the reference position, ahand 14 attached to the front end of the second arm, and a first motor M1 to reciprocatingly swings thefirst arm 12 to thepedestal 11. In this embodiment, the center J1 (a first axis) of rotation or swing of thefirst arm 12 and the center J2 (a second axis) of rotation or swing of thesecond arm 13 are horizontal respectively and in parallel mutually. - Further this transferring
apparatus 10 further has asynchronous swinging mechanism 15 to swing thesecond arm 13 synchronously with the swing of thefirst arm 12, as shown inFIG. 2 a. Thismechanism 15 is equipped with afirst pinion 16 installed so as not to move to thepedestal 11, asecond pinion 17 rotatably provided around the second axis J2 and fixed to thesecond arm 13, and one pair of left andright racks pinions first arm 12. But, theracks - In addition, as shown in
FIG. 1 , thefirst pinion 16 is attached to thepedestal 11 through a second motor M2 which is a component of a later described second armangle adjusting mechanism 20. It does not rotate as far as the second motor M2 does not rotate. Moreover, in theracks teeth 18 a, 19 a are formed in the portion only where meshing with thepinions racks first arm 12. - And, in this transferring
apparatus 10, the length L2 of the second arm 13 (the distance between the center J2 of rotation of the second arm and the hand 14) is shorter than the length L1 of the first arm (the distance between the first axis J1 and the second axis J2). It is about ½ of the length L1 of thefirst arm 12. And, the diameter D2 of the second pinion (the diameter of the pitch circle) is about 9/23 of the diameter D1 of thefirst pinion 16, which is made to be smaller than ½. - In the transferring
apparatus 10 composed as above, when the first motor M1 rotates in one direction, thefirst arm 12 coupled to the output shaft of the motor M1 swings as much as angle θ1 clockwise, for example, as shown inFIG. 2 b, around the first axis J1. Additionally, the reference numeral K is a reference line of vertical direction. At this moment, since thefirst pinion 16 does not rotate, the onerack 18 supported by thefirst arm 12 descends toward the base end side of thefirst arm 12. And theother rack 19 performs linear movement so as to ascend toward the front end side. Accompanying the movement of theracks second pinion 17 swings anti-clockwise until angle θ2 to the vertical line. Additionally thereference numeral 22 is a floor face. - At this moment, the height H of the second arm 13 (The vertical distance between the first axis J1 and the hand 14) becomes:
-
H=L1 cos θ1−L2 cos θ2. - And, if the ratio of the diameter D1/D2 of the
first pinion 16 and thesecond pinion 17 is set to i (D1/D2=i), since θ2=iθ1-θ1, it becomes: -
H=L1 cos θ1−L2 cos(iθ1−θ1). - The graph of the relation between the height H and the angle θ1 of the first arm is shown in
FIG. 2 b andFIG. 3 . As seen in the figures, the front end of thesecond arm 13 moves closer to a horizontal line shown by the chain line P. - If the length of the
first arm 12 and thesecond arm 13 is equal, and the diameter D2 of thesecond pinion 17 is ½ of the diameter D1 of thefirst pinion 16, the front end of thesecond arm 13 moves horizontally strictly, as the apparatus of JP '262. But since in this transferringapparatus 10, the length of thefirst arm 12 is about twice of the length L2 of the second arm, and the ratio of the diameter D1 of thefirst pinion 16 and the diameter D2 of thesecond pinion 17 is about 23/9, the movement of the front end of the second arm does not becomes strictly horizontal. It deviates from the horizontal line along the way, but it is not much a problem in practice. - Additionally, in order to make the height H, when the angle of the
first arm 12 is θ1, equal to the height L1-L2 in the reference position, stated differently, to make it as L1-L2=L1 cos θ1-L2 cos (iθ1-θ1), it is sufficient to make it as i=1+[ cos-1{L1(cos θ1−1)+L2}/L2]/θ1. From this equation, the suitable ratio of the diameter of the first pinion and the second pinion can be calculated, based on the length of the first arm and the length of the second arm as well as the final angle θ1. - As described above, in the transferring
apparatus 10 ofFIG. 1 andFIG. 2 a, the length L2 of thesecond arm 13 is shorted than the length L1 of the first arm. But the ratio of the diameter D1 of thefirst pinion 16 and the diameter D2 of thesecond pinion 17 are suitably selected, as shown inFIG. 2 b andFIG. 3 . Therefore, thehand 14 of the front end of thesecond arm 13 can be moved about horizontally. Further, as found fromFIG. 2 b, in the status that thefirst arm 12 is swung large to the reference line K, thesecond arm 13 swings further large to the vertical straight line K2. Hence, it is easy for thehand 14 provided in the front end of thesecond arm 13 to retrieve a work from or to supply a work to such a narrow place, such as between an upper pressing die and a lower pressing die of a press machine. In addition, when the first motor M1 is rotated reversely from the state ofFIG. 2 b, it returns to the state ofFIG. 2 a via the same trajectory. - In the case of
FIG. 3 , thefirst arm 12 is swung as much as the identical angle from the reference line to the front side and the back side. By swinging back and forth as thus, a work which is press-worked in the foregoing process of the left edge can be moved to the next pressing die. But, the swinging angle offirst arm 12 is not necessary to be made identical in the fore and back. Moreover, it can be selected suitably according to the shape of the work to be transferred, the jig or the pressing die to retrieve the work, and the jig or the pressing die of the next process to which the work is supplied. - When the length of the
second arm 13 is shortened as described above, even when thepedestal 11 is installed on thefloor face 22, the work can be transferred with the transfer level higher than the floor face. Hence, when the work supplying height (the height of the upper face of a pressing die) of the machine is higher than the floor face, it is not necessary to make thepedestal 11 high. Further, since thesecond arm 13 which is provided at the tip side of the apparatus and which moves largely, can be made light, thereby the whole inertia becomes small and the power of the first motor M1 can be made small. - Next, the
angle adjusting mechanism 20 of the second arm is described with reference toFIG. 1 andFIG. 4 . Thisangle adjusting mechanism 20 of the second arm is that in which the second motor M2 is connected to thefirst pinion 16 and thesecond arm 13 only is made to be advanced or delayed as much as the predetermined angle θ3, while thefirst arm 12 remains stationary. When the phase of thesecond arm 13 is made to be advanced as much as θ3 and thefirst arm 12 is swung by driving the first motor M1, thehand 14 of the front end of thesecond arm 13 moves along the inclined transfer line as shown by the chain line P2 inFIG. 5 . Accordingly, in the case that there are obstacles in its way, transfer can be carried out via a path which avoids the interference with the obstacles. Inversely, in the case that the transfer is carried out with its movement being delayed, it becomes a transfer line inversely inclined, as shown in the imaginary line P3. - Next, the
parallel movement mechanism 24 of the hand and the tilt mechanism 25 are described with reference toFIG. 1 andFIG. 6 a. As shown inFIG. 1 andFIG. 6 a, afirst gear 26 is provided concentrically to the first axis J1. Thisfirst gear 26 is coupled to thesecond gear 28 which is provided rotatably concentrically to the second axis J2 through atorque transmission mechanism 27. Thetorque transmission mechanism 27 comprises semi-circular sector gears 31, 32 provided rotatably aroundshafts first arm 12, alink 33 coupling those sector gears 31, 32. Thelink 33 is composed of two units which is one pair of the left and the right, but it may be one unit. Moreover, in place of thetorque transmission mechanism 27 of link system, the other torque transmission mechanism such as a chain, a pulley, a timing pulley can be adopted. - On the other hand, the
hand 14 of the front end of thesecond arm 13 is supported rotatably in thesecond arm 13 by ashaft 34. Afirst timing pulley 35 is coupled to thesecond gear 28 so as to co-rotate, and asecond timing pulley 36 is fixed to theshaft 34 so as to co-rotate. The timing pulleys (geared pulley) 35, 36 are mutually coupled by a timing belt 37 (geared belt) which is a wrapping connector. The gear ratio of thefirst gear 26 and thesecond gear 28 is 1, and the gear ratio of thefirst timing pulley 35 and thesecond timing pulley 36 is also 1. Thereby, thefirst gear 26, thetorque transmission mechanism 27, thesecond gear 28, thefirst timing pulley 37, and thesecond timing pulley 36 composes aparallel movement mechanism 24 of the hand. - Further in this transferring
apparatus 10, a third motor M3 is provided in thepedestal 11. And adrive gear 38 coupled to the output shaft of the third motor M3 is meshed with thefirst gear 26 to constitute a tilt mechanism of the hand. - In the transferring
apparatus 10 composed as described above, when thefirst arm 12 is swung as much as angle θ1, while the third motor M3 is stopped, since thefirst gear 26 remains stationary, thefirst gear 26 turns as much as angle θ1 in the reverse direction to the first arm 12 (seeFIG. 6 b). The rotation is transmitted to thesecond gear 28 through thetorque transmission mechanism 27, and thesecond gear 28 also rotates as much as angle θ1 in the reverse direction to thefirst arm 12. Accordingly, thesecond gear 28 does not rotate with respect to the rest frame. The motion of thesecond gear 28 is transmitted to theshaft 34 of thehand 14 through thefirst timing pulley 35, thetiming belt 37, and thesecond timing pulley 36. Thisshaft 34 also does not rotate with respect to the rest frame similar to those described above. Accordingly, even when thesecond arm 13 swings accompanying the swing of thefirst arm 12, thehand 14 moves about horizontally maintaining the original angle (seeFIG. 6 b). Thereby, the work held by the hand is transferred with its posture not changing, achieving parallel movement function. - When the angle of the work is desired to be changed while retrieving or supplying a work, the tilt mechanism is used. In other words, when the position of the first arm is placed in any of the position, the third motor M3 is rotated to rotate the
drive gear 38. This rotation is transmitted to thefirst gear 26, and transmitted to theshaft 34 of thehand 14 through thetorque transmission mechanism 27, thesecond gear 28, thefirst timing pulley 35, thetiming belt 37, and thesecond timing pulley 36. And thehand 14 rotates as much as the same predetermined angle as the first gear 26 (seeFIG. 6 c). Thereby, the posture of the work can be changed according to need. - In the parallel movement mechanism and the tilt mechanism of
FIG. 6 a, thetorque transmission mechanism 27, equipped with two semi-circular sector gears 31, 32, is interposed between thefirst gear 26 and thesecond gear 28. Hence, it is also possible that thesemi-circular sector gear 26 a in place of the first gear and arotating link 28 a in place of the second gear are directly coupled by alink 33. Since it is advantageous to make the posture of the work constant, the parallel movement mechanism ofFIG. 6 a orFIG. 7 a is usually made to be a standard equipment. But there is a case that the adjustment mechanism and the tilt mechanism of the second arm are not necessary, this is usually made to be an option, because the second motor M2 and the third motor M3 should be added. - Next, the embodiment of the large transferring apparatus of this invention is described with reference to
FIG. 8 toFIG. 10 . In thelarge transferring apparatus 40 ofFIG. 8 , the transferringapparatus 10 ofFIG. 1 is arranged to be one pair in left and right spaced at an interval, and at the same time, acommon transfer beam 41 is used as a hand. A vacuum cup or gripper which actually holds a work is attached to thebeam 41 detachably. And, in this embodiment, the left and theright transferring apparatus 10 is made to be plane symmetry, and as thepedestal 11, that which is common large one is used. The second arm adjusting mechanism and the tilt mechanism are not equipped. Theoutput shaft 42 of the first motor M1 and the base end of thefirst arm 12 are coupled by adrive gear 43 fixed to anoutput shaft 42 and a drivengear 44 fixed to thefirst arm 12, as shown inFIG. 9 . - The motion of the
large transferring apparatus 40 is substantially same as the transferringapparatus 10 ofFIG. 1 as shown inFIG. 10 . And it can transfer one relatively large work in cooperation of the left and theright transferring apparatus 10. In thislarge transferring apparatus 40 also, the transfer distance can be lengthened by swinging left and right thefirst arm 12, same as the case ofFIG. 3 . Therefore, the tilt angle of thesecond arm 13 becomes small in the position of retrieving and supplying the work, and it makes the retrieving and supplying of the work easy. - In the embodiment described above, the transmission of power from the first pinion to the second pinion is done by the racks, but, the power transmission can be done by a gear train, as shown in
FIG. 11 a. Moreover, as shown inFIG. 11 b, it can be done bypulleys belt 48, or a timing pulley and a timing belt, further, it can be done by a sprocket and a chain. - In a
first arm 50 ofFIG. 11 c, thesecond pinion 17 is provided in some measure movable in the direction of the axis line of the arms to thefirst arm 50, and is energized to thefirst pinion 16 side by aspring 51. In thisfirst arm 50, there is no clearance between the upper side of the teeth of the left and theright racks second pinion 17, and the clearance is brought together between the lower side of the left and theright racks second pinion 17. Further, there is no clearance between the lower side of the teeth of the left and theright racks first pinion 16, and the clearance is brought together between the upper side of the left and theright racks first pinion 16. - For making it easy to understand, considering that the
first pinion 16 rotates clockwise, the left side of thefirst pinion 16, theleft rack 18 and the left side of thesecond pinion 17 transmits power without clearance opposing the given energy, and rotates thesecond pinion 17 clockwise. At this moment, since there are clearances between the lower side of the teeth of thefirst pinion 16 and the upper side of the teeth of theright rack 19, and between the upper side of the teeth of thesecond pinion 17 and the lower side of the teeth of theright rack 19, the power is not transmitted through theright rack 19. Contrary, when thefirst pinion 16 rotates anti-clockwise, inversely to the above description, the right side of thefirst pinion 16, theright rack 19, and the right side of thesecond pinion 17 transmit the power without clearance opposing the given energy, and do not transmit the power through theleft rack 18. - Since the right and the
left racks first pinion 16 as thus, regardless of the rotating direction of thefirst pinion 16, any of the rack and pinion transmits the power without clearance. Accordingly, when the direction of rotation of thefirst pinion 16 changes, in other words, the swinging direction of thefirst arm 50 changes, no backlash is generated. Thereby, the vibration of the second arm is suppressed. This effect is same as the case that thesecond pinion 17 is energized in the direction of the front end side of thefirst arm 50, in other words, the opposite side to the first pinion. Moreover, thefirst pinion 16 may be energized in the direction of thesecond pinion 17 side, or in the reverse direction. As the energizing means, other than aspring 51, such as a gas spring utilizing an air cylinder can be used. -
FIG. 12 a andFIG. 12 b show respectively the mechanism of the other embodiments which drive without backlash. In amechanism 53 ofFIG. 12 a, theracks first pinion 16 and anintermediate pinion 52. Thefirst pinion 16 is energized to theintermediate pinion 52 side by energizing means such as aspring 56 a, same as the above described embodiment. And, while one pair of the left and the right idle gears 54, 55 meshes with theintermediate pinion 52, thesecond pinion 17 meshes with thoseidle gears spring 56 b. In thismechanism 53 also, when thefirst pinion 16 rotates clockwise, the power is transmitted to thesecond pinion 17 without clearance through theleft rack 18 and the leftidle gear 54. And when it rotates anti-clockwise, the power is transmitted without clearance through theright rack 19 and the rightidle gear 55. Accordingly, same as described above, when the swinging direction of the first arm changes, no backlash is generated. - In the
mechanism 57 ofFIG. 12 b, a drivengear 58 is fixed to thefirst arm 12 so as not to rotate. And, the rotation of thedrive gear 59, driven by the first motor, transmits the power to the drivengear 58 respectively through the left and the rightintermediate pinions first arm 12. In addition, the eachintermediate pinion drive gear 59 and the small diameter gears 60 b, 61 b meshing with the drivengear 58 are made to corotate. - In this
mechanism 57, the direction of the backlash of thedrive gear 59 and the large diameter gear 60 a, and direction of the backlash of thesmall diameter gear 60 b and the drivengear 58 are determined, so that the rotation is transmitted to the drivengear 58 without backlash through the leftintermediate pinion 60 when thedrive gear 59 rotates in one direction. And the direction of the backlash of thedrive gear 59 and thelarge diameter gear 61 a, and the direction of the back lash of thesmall diameter gear 61 b and the drivengear 58 are adjusted so that the rotation is transmitted to the drivengear 58 without backlash through the rightintermediate pinion 61 when thedrive gear 59 rotates in the reverse direction. Therefore, the rotation of the first motor can be transmitted without backlash in any direction of the rotation, and it suppresses the vibration even when the swinging direction of the first arm changes same as the case ofFIG. 12 a. - The extend/retract
arm 62 shown inFIG. 13 a,FIG. 13 b is equivalent to thesecond arm 13 of the transferringapparatus 10 ofFIG. 1 ,FIG. 2 , and is provided with an extend/retract mechanism. The extend/retractarm 62 is equipped with a rectangular pipe likearm holder 63 attached rotatably to thefirst arm 12, and a slidingarm 64 housed slidably to the arm holder. Considering that thearm holder 63 is the second arm, the slidingarm 64 becomes a third arm provided slidably to the second arm. As shown inFIG. 15 , the shaft 17 a of thesecond pinion 17 of thefirst arm 12 is fixed to the rear surface side of the upper end of thearm holder 63. - Moreover, as shown in
FIG. 13 b, anopening 65 is formed in the side of thearm holder 63, and anut holder 66 fixed to the side of the slidingarm 64 protrudingly from theopening 65. InFIG. 13 b, thenut 66 is omitted for easy understanding. In the side of thearm holder 63, upper andlower brackets brackets screw shaft 69 rotatably. The upper end of thescrew shaft 69 is coupled with the output shaft of a fourth motor M4. Anut 70 screwing together with thescrew shaft 69 is fixed to thenut holder 66. InFIG. 13 b, thescrew shaft 69 and the fourth motor M4 etc. are also omitted. - In the extend/retract
arm 62 composed as thus, when the fourth motor M4 rotates in one direction, thescrew shaft 69 rotates, the slidingarm 64 to which thenut 70 screwing together with the screw shaft descends, and its front end further protrudes from the lower end of thearm holder 63. Thereby, the extend/retractarm 62 extends. However, in this embodiment, the upper portion of the slidingarm 64 always protrudes from the upper end of thearm holder 63, therefore the term “extends” here means the distance between the turning center of (the second axis J2) of thearm holder 63 and the front end of the slidingarm 64 and the substantial whole length of the extend/retract arm 62 (the length of the sliding arm 64) does not change. When the fourth motor M4 rotates in the inverse direction, the slidingarm 64 ascends and its front end moves toward the direction of withdrawing. Thereby, the extend/retractarm 62 retracts. - The
reference numeral 71 ofFIG. 13 a is a balance cylinder which energizes the slidingarm 64 upward in order to cancel the weight of the slidingarm 64. A spring can be also adopted. As thescrew shaft 69 and thenut 70, in order to reduce the friction torque, it is preferable to adopt a ball screw and a ball nut. The structure of the slide portion of thearm holder 63 and the slidingarm 64 is preferable to be composed by a linear motion bearing (linear ball bearing) 72 and a linear motion rail (LM rail) 73 fixed to the slidingarm 64, as shown inFIG. 14 a. In this case, to receive the torque of rotational direction, two linear motion rails 73 are adopted. - In the extend/retract
arm 62 ofFIG. 14 a, 14 b, theparallel movement mechanism 24 which keeps thehand 14 ofFIG. 6 etc. in parallel and the tilt mechanism to drive it from thefirst arm 12 side can not be provided. Therefore, anindependent tilt mechanism 74 is provided in the slidingarm 64 as shown inFIG. 14 b. Thistilt mechanism 74 is composed of afirst gear 75 and asecond gear 76 rotatably provided in the upper end and the lower end of the slidingarm 64 respectively, atorque transmission mechanism 77 which transmits torque between thefirst gear 74 and thesecond gear 76, a fifth motor (reference numeral M5 ofFIG. 13 b) which rotatively drives thefirst gear 75, and ahand holder 78 coupled with thesecond gear 76. - The
torque transmission mechanism 77 comprises asemicircular sector gear 79 meshing with thefirst gear 75, asector gear 80 meshing with thesecond gear 76, and alink 81 to couple these sector gears 79, 80 mutually. But, other torque transmission mechanisms such as a pulley and a belt, particularly, a timing pulley and a timing belt, or a sprocket and a chain can also be adopted. Moreover, as the fourth motor M4 and the fifth motor M5, fluid motors such as air motor or an oil hydraulic motor can be also adopted for saving the weight. - In the
tilt mechanism 74 composed as above, when the fifth motor M5 rotates in one direction, thehand holder 78 rotates through thefirst gear 75, thetorque transmission mechanism 77, and thesecond gear 76, and it control the tilt of thehand 14 holding a vacuum cup. The control of the fifth motor M5 can be used to hold the tilt of thehand 14 horizantly in response to the angle of theextendable arm 62, namely the tilt of thearm holder 63. Further, the control of the fifth motor M5 can also be used to tilt thehand 14 avoiding the interference with the pressing die or a pressing machine. - The transferring
apparatus 82 shown inFIG. 15 andFIG. 16 is equipped with thefirst arm 12 rotatably provided around the first axis J1 to the pedestal and the extend/retractarm 62 provided rotatably around the second axis J2 in the front end of thefirst arm 12, which are about similar toFIG. 1 . Since the length of the extend/retractarm 62 extends and retracts freely, as the case of the transferringapparatus 10 ofFIG. 1 , the ratio of the length of thefirst arm 12 and the extend/retractarm 62, and the ratio of the diameter of thefirst pinion 16 and thesecond pinion 17 are not so important. Hence, For example, the length L3 (the distance between the second axis J2 and the turning axis J3 of the hand holder) in the state that theextendable arm 62 is retracted is made to be same as the length L1 of the first arm, the ratio of the diameter of the first pinion (first sector gear) 16 and the diameter of thesecond pinion 17 can be made to be 2:1. Moreover, the length L3 of the extend/retractarm 62 may be made always longer than the length L1 of thefirst arm 12, as shown inFIG. 16 . Further, it may be made shorter in the normal state and may be extended when needed. In this case, the length of the extendingarm 62 and thefirst arm 12 may instantly become congruent, but fundamentally, it is the different length. - In the transferring
apparatus 82 ofFIG. 15 ,FIG. 16 also, the torque transmission can be made by one pair of the left and the right racks between thefirst pinion 16 and thesecond pinion 17, same as the case ofFIG. 1 andFIG. 2 . InFIG. 16 , the same diameterintermediate pinion 52 provided in the upper portion of thefirst arm 16 and thesecond arm 17 are coupled by one pair of the left and the right racks not shown in the figure. Theintermediate pinion 52 and thesecond pinion 17, fixed to thearm holder 63, are coupled through one pair ofidle gears idle gears - In the transferring
apparatus 82 composed as described above, when thefirst arm 12 is in the central reference position, the extend/retractarm 62 is retracted, and when theapparatus 82 is in the sate of retrieving a work in a pressing machine of upstream side (left side ofFIG. 16 ), the extend/retractarm 62 is extended, as shown inFIG. 16 . And, after taking out the work, when it passes the reference position, the extend/retractarm 62 is retracted, and when theapparatus 82 is in the state of placing a work in a pressing machine of downstream side (right side ofFIG. 16 ), the extend/retractarm 62 is extended again. And, when returning to the reference position, the extend/retractarm 62 is retracted. Thereby, to the pressing die of the pressing machine of upstream side and down stream side shown by the imaginary line, it can approach from the upper side and can withdraw to the upper direction. Hence, the retrieving of a work from the pressing die and the supply of a work to the pressing die becomes smooth. In the case that there is an obstacle near the pressing die, as shown by thereference numeral 83 ofFIG. 16 , it is possible to overgo the obstacle by partially raising the trajectory of movement of thehand 14. Particularly while it holds a work, the moving trajectory of thehand 14 is selected so that the work does not interfere with the pressing die etc. - The first motor M1 to turn the
first arm 12 and the fourth motor M4 to move the slidingarm 64 are computer-controlled so as to realize the above described two dimensional trajectory. Moreover, the rotation of the fifth motor M5 of thetilt mechanism 74 ofFIG. 14 b is controlled so as to be electrically synchronized with the swing of thefirst arm 12. However, the fundamental motion of the transfer is based on the swing of thefirst arm 12 around the first axis J1 and the turn of thearm holder 63 mechanically coupled to thefirst arm 12 around the second axis J2. Thereby, the small amount of movement of the sliding arm is sufficient. Hence, a work can be transferred rapidly and safely, compared with the transferring apparatus of JP '406.
Claims (12)
1. A transferring apparatus comprising;
a pedestal having a first axis;
a first arm having a base end and a front end, the first arm swingably provided around the first axis, the front end having a second shaft parallel with the first axis;
a second arm having a length different to the first arm and having a base end and a front end, the second arm swingably provided around the second axis;
a hand attached to the front end of the second arm;
a drive means to swing the first arm reciprocatingly;
a first circular plate having a center and a periphery, the first circular plate attached to the pedestal and the center is within the first axis;
a second circular plate having a center and a periphery, the second circular plate attached to the base end of the second arm and the shaft and the center is within the second axis; and
a torque transmission means interposed between the periphery of the first circular plate and the periphery of the second circular plate, in which the torque transmission swings the second arm synchronously with the first arm;
wherein a ratio of a diameter of the first circular plate and a diameter of the second circular plate is set so that the front end of the second arm moves about linearly when the second arm swings synchronously with the first arm.
2. A transferring apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising,
an angle adjusting mechanism of the second arm to adjust an angle of the first circular plate.
3. A transferring apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising,
a parallel movement mechanism to maintain the hand at a predetermined angle to a rest frame regardless of a swing of the first arm.
4. A transferring apparatus comprising;
a pedestal having a first axis;
a first arm having a base end and a front end, the first arm swingably provided around the first axis, the front end having a second axis;
a second arm having a base end and a front end, the second arm swingably provided around the second axis parallel with the first axis;
a third arm having a front end, the third arm protruding from the front end of the second arm, in which the third arm performs liner motion against the second arm;
a hand attached to the front end of the third arm;
a drive means to swing the first arm reciprocatingly;
a first circular plate having a center and a periphery, the first circular plate attached to the pedestal and the center is within the first axis;
a second circular plate having a center and a periphery, the second circular plate attached to the base end of the second arm and the center is within the second axis;
a torque transmission means interposed between the periphery of the first circular plate and the periphery of the second circular plate, in which the torque transmission swings the second arm synchronously with the first arm;
an extend/retract drive means to extend and retract the third arm;
a control means to control so that the front end of the third arm moves about linearly accompanying with a swing of the first arm.
5. A transferring apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising;
a tilt mechanism to swing the hand with respect to the second arm or the front end of the third arm.
6. A transferring apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first circular plate and the second circular plate are pinions, and the torque transmission means is equipped with a rack meshing with the pinions.
7. A transferring apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the pair of racks are arranged at both sides in left and right of a line connecting the first axis and the second axis, and
wherein at least one pinion is provided to tolerate a variation of a distance to the other pinion, and the one pinion is forced in a departing direction or an approaching direction to the other pinion.
8. A large transferring apparatus for transferring a work comprising;
the transferring apparatus according to claim 1 arranged as one pair in left and right of a processing machine,
a beam to interconnect the hands of both transferring apparatuses, and
a work holding means provided in the beam,
wherein the first axis and the second axis of the left and the right transferring apparatus are arranged concentrically to each other, and
wherein the first axis and the second axis extend perpendicular to a transfer direction of the work and horizontally, and each the left and the right drive means operates synchronously.
9. A transferring apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising;
a tilt mechanism to swing the hand with respect to the second arm or the front end of the third arm.
10. A transferring apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the first circular plate and the second circular plate are pinions, and the torque transmission means is equipped with a rack meshing with the pinions.
11. A transferring apparatus according to claim 10 ,
wherein the pair of racks are arranged at both sides in left and right of a line connecting the first axis and the second axis, and
wherein at least one pinion is provided to tolerate a variation of a distance to the other pinion, and the one pinion is forced in a departing direction or an approaching direction to the other pinion.
12. A large transferring apparatus for transferring a work comprising;
the transferring apparatus according to claim 4 arranged as one pair in left and right of a processing machine,
a beam to interconnect the hands of both transferring apparatuses, and
a work holding means provided in the beam,
wherein the first axis and the second axis of the left and the right transferring apparatus are arranged concentrically to each other, and
wherein the first axis and the second axis extend perpendicular to a transfer direction of the work and horizontally, and each the left and the right drive means operates synchronously.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
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JP2007-298713 | 2007-11-16 | ||
JP2007298713A JP2009119580A (en) | 2007-11-16 | 2007-11-16 | Carrying device and large-sized carrying device |
Publications (1)
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US20090129900A1 true US20090129900A1 (en) | 2009-05-21 |
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US12/272,250 Abandoned US20090129900A1 (en) | 2007-11-16 | 2008-11-17 | Transferring apparatus and large transferring apparatus |
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US (1) | US20090129900A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP2060367A3 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2009119580A (en) |
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Cited By (6)
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US20130282175A1 (en) * | 2010-12-02 | 2013-10-24 | Norsk Hydro Asa | Method and system for handling objects |
US11547043B2 (en) * | 2014-06-09 | 2023-01-10 | Honey Bee Manufacturing Ltd. | Harvesting header knife drive assembly |
CN110167718A (en) * | 2016-12-27 | 2019-08-23 | Abb瑞士股份公司 | Pendulum processing system for press line |
CN110831728A (en) * | 2017-04-25 | 2020-02-21 | 川崎重工业株式会社 | Sheet conveying device and sheet conveying method |
CN110065092A (en) * | 2018-01-23 | 2019-07-30 | 发那科株式会社 | Conveying tool and robot |
US10391639B2 (en) | 2018-01-23 | 2019-08-27 | Fanuc Corporation | Transfer tool and robot |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JP2009119580A (en) | 2009-06-04 |
CA2641137A1 (en) | 2009-05-16 |
EP2060367A2 (en) | 2009-05-20 |
EP2060367A3 (en) | 2009-06-17 |
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