JP3736140B2 - Driving device for transfer type conveying device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a driving device for a transfer-type transfer device, and in particular, a plurality of work stages set along a work transfer path are provided with a pair of independent skid bars for each work stage. The present invention relates to an improvement in a driving device for applying a thrust to a skid bar of each stage to reciprocate it in a transfer type conveying device that conveys a workpiece by reciprocating with a next stage.
[0002]
[Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention]
A plurality of work stages are set along the linear workpiece transfer path, and each work stage is provided with a pair of independent skid bars parallel to each work stage, and thrust is applied to the skid bars. The transfer type is configured to transport the work of each work stage to the downstream side by moving the skid bar of each work stage back and forth between the next stage downstream of the work transport direction. A conveying apparatus is known, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 5-17019 and 10-119849.
[0003]
In such an apparatus, unlike a type in which a pair of long shuttle bars common to all of these stages is provided, a skid bar that is a main body for workpiece conveyance is independent for each stage. There is an advantage that it is possible to flexibly cope with the increase / decrease of the number of stages and the change of the pitch between stages accompanying the work change.
[0004]
On the other hand, in the conventional apparatus represented by the above publication, each skid bar is simply received by the drive roller at the lower surface, and thrust is applied to the skid bar by the rotation of the drive roller. Slip and stick phenomenon caused by the slip easily occur with the skid bar.
[0005]
Therefore, an attempt has been made by the present applicant and the like to drive each skid bar with a pair of rubber rollers.
[0006]
In this type of driving device, as shown in FIG. 10, a pair of rubber rollers 103, 104 or 105, 106 sandwiching the skid bars 101, 102 from the left and right are disposed on each of the pair of skid bars 101, 102. The pair of rollers 103, 104 and 105, 106 are rotatably supported by bracket arms 107 or 108 located below the skid bars 101, 102.
[0007]
Each bracket arm 107, 108 is supported by a lower frame 110 with a vertical pin 109 as a rotation center so as to be swingable, and a chain sprocket 111 or 112 is provided coaxially with one of the rollers 104, 106. The chains 115 and 116 are wound around the chain sprockets 111 and 112 and the chain sprocket 114 rotated by the drive motor 113, respectively. As a result, the rollers 104 and 106 are driven to rotate synchronously.
[0008]
A tension sprocket 117 that is spring-biased is engaged with the tension side and the loose side of each chain 115 and 116.
[0009]
Each of the arm brackets 107 and 108 is provided with two tension coil springs 118 and 119 for pressing the rollers 103 to 106 against the skid bars 101 and 102, respectively. More specifically, for each of the arm brackets 107 and 108, tension coil springs 118 and 119 are stretched between the pair of hook pins 120 on the arm bracket 107 and 108 side and the adjustment bolt 121 on the frame 110 side. As a result, the urging force in the clockwise direction in FIG. 10 acts on each arm bracket 107 and 108.
[0010]
As a result, the rollers 103 to 106 are pressed against both side surfaces of the skid bars 101 and 102, so that if the two rollers 104 and 106 are driven to rotate, the remaining two rollers 103 and 105 are also rotated, resulting in A thrust is given to each skid bar 101,102.
[0011]
However, for each of the arm brackets 107 and 108, it is necessary to adjust the spring force of the two tension coil springs 118 and 119, that is, the pressing force of the rollers 103 to 106, with the adjusting bolt 121. Therefore, the adjustment work requires a lot of man-hours and time, and if the adjusted spring force varies, the slip between the skid bars 101, 102 and the rollers 103-106. And the stick phenomenon caused by the phenomenon is promoted.
[0012]
The present invention has been made paying attention to the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a driving apparatus that can easily achieve the initial object with a simpler configuration.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of work stages are set along a linear workpiece conveyance path, and each work stage is provided with a pair of independent skid bars which are independent for each work stage. A drive device for applying thrust to the skid bar is provided, and the work bar of each work stage is sequentially moved downstream by reciprocating the skid bar of each work stage with the next stage downstream in the work transfer direction. It is premised on a transfer type conveying device that conveys to the side.
[0014]
The above drive device is arranged on both sides of each skid bar with the skid bar interposed therebetween, and a pair of rubber rollers in which the contact positions with respect to the skid bar are offset from each other in the longitudinal direction of the skid bar, An arm bracket that is independent for each skid bar and is rotatably supported by the pair of rollers, and that changes the pressing force of the rollers against the skid bar by swinging and displacing a vertical axis as a rotation center; In order to synchronously drive a pair of skid bars, a rotation driving means for synchronously driving one roller in contact with one skid bar and one roller in contact with the other skid bar, and the pair of skid bars In order to connect the arm brackets provided individually, they are arranged in a bridging manner between the two so that each skid bar It is characterized in that a direct-acting type cylinder for adjusting a pressing force of the roller to be.
[0015]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the roller that is rotationally driven by the rotational driving means according to the first aspect of the invention and the roller that is paired with the roller rotate together while being synchronized by the mechanical synchronizing means. It is characterized by being driven.
[0016]
In the invention according to claim 3, a synchronous gear is attached as a mechanical synchronizing means to each pair of rollers in the invention according to claim 2, and these synchronous gears are always meshed with each other. It is characterized by that.
[0017]
Therefore, in the first aspect of the present invention, for example, an air cylinder is employed as a direct acting cylinder connecting both arm brackets, and air whose pressure is adjusted by a regulator (not shown) is introduced into the air cylinder. The air cylinder is extended. In response to the extension of the air cylinder, both arm brackets swing and displace by a predetermined amount around the vertical axis, and as a result, a pair of rollers supported by each arm bracket and offset from each other push the skid bar on both sides. Is pressed against the skid bar. At this time, the reaction force caused by pressing each roller against the skid bar antagonizes each other when both arm brackets are connected to each other via the air cylinder, and as a result, the pair of skid bars make a pair. The roller pressing force is balanced. The adjustment of the roller pressing force against the skid bar only requires adjusting the air pressure to be introduced into the air cylinder with the regulator of the air supply system. Occurrence of the stick phenomenon can be easily prevented.
[0018]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the rollers sandwiching the skid bar are rotationally driven together while being synchronized, thrust transmission from the roller to the skid bar is more reliably performed.
[0019]
In particular, in the invention described in claim 3, since the synchronization between the pair of rollers sandwiching the skid bar is obtained by the meshing of the gears attached to each roller, The driving force transmission and synchronization can be made more reliable.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, each of the pair of skid bars is provided with a pair of rollers that sandwich the skid bar and an arm bracket that supports the pair of rollers. Since each of the arm brackets is oscillated and displaced by the force of the direct acting cylinder, the rollers are pressed against the skid bar by connecting with each other via a moving cylinder, so that a total of four rollers for the pair of skid bars. It is very easy to equalize the pressing force of the roller and prevent slipping and sticking of the roller. Adjustment of the roller pressing force is sufficient only by adjusting the introduction pressure of the linear cylinder. The adjustment work can be performed very easily.
[0021]
According to the second aspect of the invention, the pair of rollers sandwiching the skid bar are forcibly rotated together while being mechanically synchronized. In addition to the same effect, the driving force is more reliably transmitted to the skid bar, which is more effective in preventing the occurrence of the slip or stick phenomenon.
[0022]
Further, according to the invention described in claim 3, since the synchronization between the pair of rollers is obtained by meshing of the gears attached to the rollers, the same effect as that of the invention described in claim 2 can be obtained. In addition, there is an effect that the driving force transmission and the synchronization between the pair of rollers are more reliably performed.
[0023]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1 to 7 are views showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 2 is a side view of an essential part of the entire conveying apparatus, FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of a portion C in FIG. 2, and FIG. 1 is a right side view.
[0024]
That is, FIG. 2 shows an example of a transfer device used in the body side assembly process of an automobile, and a plurality of work stages S ₁ , S ₂ ... Are set along a linear work transfer path. Each work stage S ₁ , S ₂ ... Is provided with a positioning jig 1.
[0025]
The positioning jig 1 includes a jig base 2 installed on the floor F, a lifter device 5 formed around a lifter base 4 driven up and down by a lift cylinder 3 fixed to the jig base 2, and a lifter base 4 A pair of parallel skid bars 6 provided on the lifter base 4 so as to move forward and backward along the workpiece transfer direction, and a drive unit 7 serving as a drive device for driving the skid bar 6 forward and backward. Is formed.
[0026]
A plurality of fixed-side fingers 8 are erected on the jig base 2, and these fixed-side fingers 8 are used for work on the work stages S ₁ , S ₂ . The body side panel W is positioned.
[0027]
A guide rod 9 is suspended from the lower surface of the lifter base 4 driven up and down by the lift cylinder 3, and a guide sleeve 10 is provided on the jig base 2 side corresponding to the guide rod 9. As a result of the sliding contact between the lifter base 4 and the guide sleeve 10, the lifting and lowering operation of the lifter base 4 is facilitated.
[0028]
Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of bar guides 12 having a plurality of guide rollers 11 are provided on the lifter base 4, and the skid bar 6 can be moved forward and backward by the guide rollers 11 of the respective bar guides 12. It is supported by. A plurality of movable fingers 13 are mounted on the skid bar 6 so as not to interfere with the fixed fingers 8 on the jig base 2 side.
[0029]
When the work on each work stage, for example, work on the work stage S ₁ is completed, each skid bar 6 rises from the descending limit position P ₁ to the ascending limit position together with the lifter base 4. The workpiece W supported by the finger 8 is supported by the movable side finger 13 and lifted up to the ascending limit position. Thereafter, as will be described later, each skid bar 6 moves forward toward the next stage S ₂ , whereby the workpiece W is transferred to the next stage S ₂ together with the skid bar 6.
[0030]
In the next stage S ₂ , after the skid bar 6 is received and positioned by the bar guide 12 of the lifter base 2 that has been raised to the same height as the previous stage S ₁ side, the lifter base 4 is directly moved to the lower limit position P _1. Descend. Thus, in the process in which the skid bar 6 carried into the next stage S ₂ descends together with the lifter base 4, the workpiece W previously supported on the skid bar 6 is transferred to the fixed-side finger 8 at the next stage S _2. It is done. After this, the skid bar 6 that has been in the workpiece free state again is returned onto the lifter base 4 on the front stage S ₁ side that has been returned to the lower limit position P _{1 in} advance. Note that these operations are basically the same in each stage other than stage S _1.
[0031]
1, 3 and FIG. 5 and subsequent figures are views showing details of the drive unit 7 of the skid bar 6 provided on the lifter base 4, and form pairs parallel to each other as shown in FIGS. Each of the skid bars 6 is provided with a pair of rubber drive rollers 14, 15 or 16, 17 so as to sandwich each skid bar 6 from the front and rear thereof. The drive rollers 14, 15, 16, and 17 that are paired with each other have their contact positions offset with respect to the skid bar 6 in the longitudinal direction of the skid bar 6, and the pair of drive rollers 14, 15, 16, and 17 will be described later. Thus, the thrust is applied to the skid bar 6 by being driven to rotate synchronously in the same direction.
[0032]
1, 3 and 5 and 6, a horizontal arm bracket 19 or 20 is rotatably supported on a pair of front and rear lifter bases 4 via a vertical shaft 18. The arm brackets 19 and 20 are provided with a pair of roller supports 21 and 22, and each of the vertical rotating shafts 23 and 22 supported by both the arm brackets 19 and 20 and the roller supports 21 and 22. The drive rollers 14, 15 or 16, 17 are individually key-coupled to 24, 25, 26. In addition, a synchronous gear 27 as a mechanical synchronizing means is fixed to each of the rotating shafts 23 to 26, and when the synchronous gears 27 and 27 mesh with each other, both the drive rollers 14 and 15 and 16 , 17 are synchronized with each other. Furthermore, a chain sprocket 28 is fixed to the rotating shafts 24 and 26 of the pair of drive rollers 14, 15 and 16 and 17 together with the synchronous gear 27.
[0033]
Auxiliary arms 29a and 29b project from the ends of the pair of arm brackets 19 and 20, respectively. These auxiliary arms 29a and 29b are bridged via an air cylinder 30 which is a direct acting cylinder. Are interconnected. That is, the end of the air cylinder 30 on the cylinder tube 31 side is connected to the auxiliary arm 29 b of one arm bracket 20, while the tip of the piston rod 32 of the air cylinder 30 is also the auxiliary arm 29 a of the other arm bracket 19. It is connected to. Then, by introducing air of a predetermined pressure set by a regulator of an air supply system (not shown) into the air cylinder 30, the arm brackets 19 and 20 are oscillated and displaced by a predetermined amount. Each of the drive rollers 14, 15 and 16, 17 on 20 is pressed against the skid bar 6. At the same time, the reaction force caused by pressing the drive rollers 14, 15, 16, and 17 against the skid bar 6 is brought into contact with each other between the pair of arm brackets 19 and 20 via the air cylinder 30. As a result, the pressing force of each of the drive rollers 14, 15 and 16, 17 against the skid bar 6 is equalized.
[0034]
As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 7, the cross beam 33 spanned between the pair of lift bases 4 and 4 is provided with a drive motor 35 that can be rotated forward and backward via a motor bracket 34. A pair of chain sprockets 36, 37 are fixed to the output shaft of the drive motor 35, and a chain 38 is provided between the chain sprockets 36, 37 and the chain sprocket 28 on the drive rollers 15, 17 side. Is wrapped around. As a result, a total of four drive rollers 14 to 17 related to the pair of skid bars 6 are synchronously rotated in the same direction all at once according to the activation of the drive motor 35.
[0035]
1 and 3, chain tensioners 39 are provided on both sides of the drive motor 35, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 in addition to FIGS. 1 and 3, these chain tensioners 39 support a pair of sliders 41 slidably supported by a pair of guide rods 40, and each slider 41 has a rotatable tension sprocket. 42, and an urging force by the compression coil spring 43 is applied to each slider 41. Therefore, each chain wound between the drive motor 35 and each drive roller 15, 17 is provided. Each tension sprocket 42 is in pressure contact with the tension side and the loose side of 38.
[0036]
According to the present embodiment configured as described above, the operation of the entire conveying apparatus is as described above, and when air of a predetermined pressure is introduced into the air cylinder 30 shown in FIGS. The arm brackets 19 and 20 are oscillated and displaced with the shaft 18 as the rotation center, and a total of four drive rollers 14 to 17 supported by the arm brackets 19 and 20 are connected to the skid bars. 6 is pressed. At the same time, the pressing reaction force received by each arm bracket 19, 20 from the skid bar 6 is such that both arm brackets 19, 20 are connected to each other via the air cylinder 30. As a result, the pressing forces of the four drive rollers 14 to 17 on the skid bar 6 are equalized.
[0037]
In this state, when the drive rollers 14 and 17 are synchronously driven by the drive motor 35 via the chain sprockets 28, 36, and 37 and the chain 38, the two remaining for simultaneous meshing of the synchronous gears 27 and 27. The drive rollers 15 and 16 are also driven to rotate synchronously. With this, a thrust that is completely synchronized is applied to the pair of skid bars 6, and these skid bars 6 travel in the longitudinal direction.
[0038]
In this case, when the pressing force of the drive rollers 14 to 17 on the skid bar 6 is too small or too large, the air pressure to be introduced into the air cylinder 30 is appropriately increased or decreased by the regulator of the air supply system. The pressing force of all four drive rollers 14 to 17 can be adjusted very easily.
[0039]
Here, without driving all the drive rollers 14 to 17 on the pair of arm brackets 19 and 20 synchronously, for example, only the two drive rollers 15 and 17 are synchronously driven and the remaining two drive rollers 14 and 16 are driven. May be rotated in accordance with the movement of the skid bar 6, but in order to ensure the transmission of power to the skid bar 6, it is desirable to simultaneously drive the four synchronously.
[0040]
In addition, if the synchronization accuracy between the pair of skid bars 6 and 6 is ensured, it is not necessary to connect the two skid bars 6 and 6 to each other with a cross bar that is not shown in the figure, but is necessary. Depending on the above, the crossbar may be used for connection.
[0041]
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, as apparent from comparison with FIG. 1, the pair of arm brackets 219 and 220 are arranged in a vertically symmetrical manner, and these arms are arranged. The air cylinder 230 disposed in a bridging manner between the brackets 219 and 220 is set in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the skid bar 6 (work transfer direction), while the drive rollers 214 and 215 are paired with each other. The relative positional relationship between the drive rollers 216 and 217 is reversed from that shown in FIG. Note that reference numeral 218 in FIG. 9 denotes an axis serving as a rotation center of the arm brackets 219 and 220.
[0042]
It goes without saying that the same function as in the first embodiment can also be obtained in this embodiment.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a drive unit according to the present invention, and is an enlarged plan view of a portion C in FIG.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory side view of the entire conveying apparatus.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram on the right side of FIG. 1;
4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the bar guide shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a view taken in the direction of arrow B in FIG.
6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG.
7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.
8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in FIG.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view of a main part showing a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory plan view showing an example of a conventional skid bar driving device.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 ... Jig base 4 ... Lifter base 6 ... Skid bar 7 ... Drive unit (drive device)
14, 15, 16, 17 ... drive roller 18 ... shaft 19, 20 ... arm bracket 27 ... synchronous gear (mechanical synchronizing means)
28 ... Chain sprocket 30 ... Air cylinder (direct acting cylinder)
35 ... Drive motors 36, 37 ... Chain sprocket 38 ... Chains 214, 215, 216, 217 ... Drive rollers 219, 220 ... Arm bracket 230 ... Air cylinder (linear cylinder)
S ₁ , S ₂ ... work stage W ... work

Claims (3)

A plurality of work stages are set along the linear workpiece transfer path, and each work stage is provided with a pair of independent skid bars parallel to each work stage, and thrust is applied to the skid bars. The transfer type is configured to transport the work of each work stage to the downstream side by moving the skid bar of each work stage back and forth between the next stage downstream of the work transport direction. In the transport device,
The driving device includes:
For each skid bar, a pair of rubber rollers arranged on both sides of the skid bar, the contact position with respect to the skid bar being offset from each other in the longitudinal direction of the skid bar,
An arm bracket that is independent for each skid bar and that is rotatably supported by the pair of rollers, and that changes the pressing force of the rollers against the skid bar by swinging and displacing a vertical axis as a rotation center; ,
In order to synchronously drive a pair of skid bars, a rotation driving means for synchronously driving one roller in contact with one skid bar and one roller in contact with the other skid bar;
A direct acting cylinder that adjusts the pressing force of the roller against each skid bar, arranged in a bridging manner to connect the arm brackets individually provided on the pair of skid bars, and
A transfer-type conveying apparatus drive device comprising: 2. A roller that is rotationally driven by the rotational driving means and a roller that is paired with the roller are rotationally driven together while being synchronized by a mechanical synchronizing means. The transfer-type transfer device drive device described in 1. The drive device for a transfer type conveying device according to claim 2, wherein a synchronizing gear is attached to each pair of rollers as a mechanical synchronizing means, and these synchronizing gears are always meshed with each other.

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