JPH08294888A - Robot hand device to serve for both two different sorts of objects - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To make small and simple the structure of a robot hand device and facilitate the controlling operations by allowing a single unit of robot hand to make transfer of a paper bundle and transfer of a pallet on which paper bundles are stacked. CONSTITUTION: A robot hand device concerned includes a hand part 3 to hold a paper bundle and another 4 to hold a pallet, and the hand part 4 is arranged so that it can be accommodated upon being folded approx. in the horizontal condition while the other hand part 3 is in operation. A level sensing means 43 used in unloading the paper bundle is arranged to be used also in receiving pallet.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a robot hand device which is also used for two kinds of articles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a factory equipped with a paper making line, a cutting (processing) line, a printing line, etc., a stack of a large number of papers is stacked on a pallet at the outlet of each line. Often the process is followed. In such a case, if a hand device for loading an empty pallet is also provided separately from the hand device for loading a stack of paper to the stacking position, a large installation area is required for both hand devices in the factory. In addition, in order to prevent the operation interference of both hand devices, the structure is complicated and the equipment cost is increased.

On the other hand, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Sho 64-13332 discloses a hand device which can hold both a pallet and an item to be stacked on top of the pallet and which is also used as an article of two types. In this hand device, a configuration in which an item hand portion having a pair of holding bodies provided according to the item width and a pallet hand portion having a pair of holding bodies provided according to the pallet width on both outsides thereof are combined When one of the hands is operated, the other hand is stopped in the released posture.

[0004]

In the hand device described in the above publication, the holding body of the pallet hand portion projects downward from the holding body of the item hand portion. Therefore, in order to prevent the pallet hand unit in the release stop state from contacting and interfering with the product or other objects in the transport path when the product hand unit is operated or during transport, the lifting and transport of the entire hand device is performed. It was necessary to take measures such as setting a large movement and securing a distance from surrounding installations.

In particular, in the case where the articles are bundled as described above, in order to satisfy the demand that the stacking amount of the bundle of sheets is increased as much as possible (the height of the articles is increased), the article hand unit is provided. It is necessary to increase the downward protrusion length of the sandwiching body. However, in this way, the vertical length of the sandwiching body of the pallet hand part becomes larger, which promotes the above-mentioned problems, and the pallet hand part also has conveyance vibration and inertia force during braking. Were susceptible to damage and were the cause of failures and damage.

Further, each of the article hand section and the pallet hand section needs a structure for height detection, which complicates the structure and control, which also causes a rise in equipment cost. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and saves the installation area, simplifies the structure, suppresses an increase in the equipment cost, and prevents failure and damage in each component. It is an object of the present invention to provide a robot hand device that also serves as the above-mentioned two kinds of articles.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention takes the following technical means. That is, the present invention includes a first hand portion having a pair of holding bodies capable of holding a first type article, with respect to an elevating base frame provided so as to be capable of elevating and lowering,
A second hand portion having a pair of holding bodies capable of holding a second type article is provided below the first hand portion, and the first hand portion is provided.
The second hand portion is characterized in that the holding body of the second hand portion can be folded and stored in the elevating base frame when the hand portion is operated.

The first hand portion is provided with a hooking piece capable of supporting and holding the bottom surface of the first-type article separately from either one of the holding bodies or both holding bodies.
It is preferable that level detection means for detecting the unloading height of the seed article is provided, and the level detection means is capable of detecting the receiving height of the second seed article when the second hand portion is operated. is there.

In the above robot hand device, when the second hand portion is operated, the elevating base frame is lowered until the level detecting means detects the receiving height for the second type article, and then the first hand portion and the second hand portion. It suffices to raise the elevating base frame and operate the second hand portion in accordance with the difference in the set levels between and.

[0010]

When the first hand portion operates to hold the first type article (for example, a bundle of paper sheets), the second hand portion has a state in which the holding body is stored in a folding manner with respect to the elevating base frame. It is said that Therefore, it is possible to prevent the second hand portion from interfering with the operation of the first hand portion, and also prevent the second hand portion from being damaged or damaged.

When the raising / lowering base frame is lowered in order to move the second hand portion toward holding the second type article (for example, pallet), the second hand is detected by the level detecting means provided in the first hand portion. The receiving height of the seed article is detected to stop the lowering of the lifting base frame. Originally, the level detecting means, for the first hand portion holding the first type article, unloads the first type article to a predetermined position,
This is used for stopping the lowering when lowering the lifting base frame. That is, the level detecting means can stop the lowering of the elevating base frame for both hand parts.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a robot hand device 1 according to the present invention. The robot hand device 1 is, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, a first-type article W (for example, a sheet bundle) supplied from a first carry-in conveyor WC. And a transfer robot R used for transferring and stacking the second type articles P (for example, pallets) supplied from the second carry-in conveyor PC to the carry-out conveyor EC, and the tip end part of the joint arm A thereof. It is designed to be installed in.

In FIG. 1, this robot hand device 1
Has an elevating base frame 2 and a first hand part 3 and a second hand part 4 provided for the elevating base frame 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the elevating base frame 2 has a base frame main body 5 and a movable frame 7 suspended from the base frame main body 5 via a plurality of damper shafts 6 so as to be vertically movable. . The vertical movement of the movable frame 7 with respect to the base frame body 5 can be detected by a motion detector 8 such as a limit switch attached to each damper shaft 6.

The elevating base frame 2 has a joint arm A of the transfer robot R via an angle controller 9 provided in the base frame body 5.
It is designed to be hung on the floor so that it can be horizontally swung by a predetermined angle as desired. As shown in FIG. 4, the first hand portion 3 is provided below the movable frame 7 of the elevating base frame 2 and has a pair of plate-shaped holding bodies 12 facing each other at a predetermined interval. 13 and a fork-shaped hooking piece 14 projecting across the lower parts of the holding bodies 12, 13.

One holding body 12 is the same as the other holding body 13.
It moves back and forth so that it can move toward and away from. Reference numeral 17 is a guide bar that guides the forward / backward movement of the holding body 12, and 18 is a forward / backward drive tool such as a fluid pressure cylinder, which is suspended from the movable frame 7 via a bracket 19 or the like. The other sandwiching body 13 is suspended and fixed to the movable frame 7 via a mounting piece 13a protruding upward. In addition, this holding body 13
Holds one end of the guide bar 17.

The hooking piece 14 is provided in a suspended manner with respect to a horizontal rotating shaft 20 provided along the upper side of the fixed side holding body 13. Reference numeral 21 denotes a bearing member that holds the horizontal rotation shaft 20 rotatably with respect to the movable frame 7.
Reference numeral 2 is an L-shaped rectangular rod-shaped support rod that connects the horizontal rotation shaft 20 and the hooking piece 14 along the outside of the fixed side holding body 13. A swing lever 24 is provided at one end of the horizontal rotation shaft 20 (on the front side in the drawing).
Is subjected to a circumferential actuating force by a swing drive tool 26 such as a fluid pressure cylinder suspended from the movable frame 7 via a bracket 25 and the like. Therefore, when the swing drive tool 26 is operated, the hooking piece 14 can swing together with the horizontal rotation shaft 20 via the support rod 22.

As shown in FIG. 5, the hooking piece 14 is rotatable with respect to the support rod 22 about a pivot 27, but its rear end 14a is an L-shaped stopper 28 provided on the support rod 22. The upper end of the support rod 22 is abutted against the support rod 22 to maintain the orthogonal state with respect to the support rod 22. Further, this orthogonal state is biased by a spring 29 elastically mounted between the connecting portions of the hooking piece 14 and the support rod 22. Such a structure is a so-called shock that prevents the hooking piece 14 and its supporting structure from being damaged by contact with another object (including the first-type article W) or damaging the article W. It constitutes an absorber.

The first hand unit 3 having such a configuration is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the advancing / retreating side holding body 12 is separated from the fixed side holding body 13, and the hooking piece 14 is attached to both the holding pieces 12, 1.
3 was retracted from below (tilt the support rod 22)
Stand by. Then, in order to lift the first type article W, first, the opposite side surfaces of the first type article W are clamped by the sandwiching body 12,
13 is pressed against each other, and then a hooking piece 14 is inserted to the bottom side of the first type article W to support the bottom surface.
As a result, the first-kind article W can be lifted without worrying about load collapse and falling (note that in the illustrated example, the first-kind article W has a large number of sheets of paper a stacked and a band b wound around). It is drawn as a thing).

Incidentally, when lifting the first-type article W, it is preferable to use a levitation device 35 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 as an auxiliary. The illustrated levitation device 35 has a first
In the case where the carry-in conveyor WC (see FIG. 2) is a roller roller conveyor, a lifting piece 40 corresponding to each other between the rollers 36 is provided with a lifting drive tool 41 such as a fluid pressure cylinder.
It is moved up and down by this, and thereby the insertion space of the hooking piece 14 is formed in the lower part of the first type article W. When the first carry-in conveyor WC is a belt conveyor or the like, although not shown in the drawings, a nipping means that moves close to and away from the nipping bodies 12 and 13 along a plane orthogonal direction,
It is sufficient to use an article holding means or the like that sucks the upper portion of the seed article W and is configured to move up and down.

On the other hand, the first hand unit 3 lifts the first type article W and conveys it to the upper side of the carry-out conveyor EC as shown in FIG. When lowering a certain type I article W to the upper part, first, the type I article W is stopped at a height (Y position to X position) slightly above the landing level as the elevating base frame 2 is lowered. In this state, the hooking piece 14 is pulled out, and then the first-type article is landed as the elevating base frame 2 is lowered, and then the holding bodies 12 and 13 are released.

In order to perform such unloading, at least one of the hooking pieces 14 (in the central arrangement shown in FIG. 4) is provided with a level detecting means 43.
As shown in FIG. 5, the level detecting means 43 includes a sled plate-shaped detection plate 45 that is swingable around a pivot 44 with respect to the hooking piece 14 and a hooking piece 14 that hooks the detection plate 45. It has a spring 46 for urging it to an open state (downward) and a detector 47 such as a proximity switch for detecting the swing of the detection plate 45.

Although the mounting position of the detector 47 is arbitrary, in this embodiment, the rear end of the detection plate 45 is extended and the upper end is crank-folded to form a detection end 45a. The positioning is set so that it goes into an ON state when it rises and goes into an OFF state when it falls. As a result, it is possible to determine when the detection plate 45 switches from the open posture to the closed posture.

That is, as shown in FIG.
When the first hand unit 3 holding the above is descending toward the upper part of the carry-out conveyor EC or the upper part of the already transferred first type article W, the detection plate 45 comes into contact with the upper surfaces of these and closes. Since the posture is reached and the detector 47 is turned off, it is assumed that the optimum unloading level has been reached at this point and the elevating base frame 2 stops descending.

By the way, such level detecting means 43
Then, when the first-type article W as shown in FIG. 7 is held, the detection plate 45 in the open posture may be an obstacle. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the fluid pressure for enabling the detection end portion 45a of the detection plate 45 to be projected from the support rod 22 as desired (that is, forcibly bringing the detection plate 45 into the closed posture). A forced separating tool 48 composed of a cylinder or the like is provided.

Next, the second hand section 4 (see FIG. 1) will be described. As shown in FIG. 9, the second hand portion 4 is provided above the movable frame 7 of the elevating base frame 2 and has a pair of sandwiching bodies 50 and 51 facing each other at a predetermined interval.
have. The one holding body 50 has a pair of arms 50a, 5 each having an engaging hook portion 52 bent at the tip thereof.
It has 0b. The arms 50a and 50b are connected to each other by a connecting shaft 53, and the connecting shaft 53 is provided with a link lever 54 in a skewered shape at a position close to the arms 50a and 50b. Then, the arms 50a and 50b and the link lever 54
Are rotatable integrally with the connecting shaft 53. 55 is
It is a bearing tool that holds the connecting shaft 53 rotatably with respect to the movable frame 7.

As for the other holding body 51, the holding body 5 is also used.
It is substantially the same as 0, and a pair of two arms 51a and 51b and a link lever 58 are provided so as to be integrally rotatable with respect to the connecting shaft 57. However, the arms 51a and 51b are
The points arranged inside each of the arms 50a and 50b of the holding body 50, the arrangement relationship between the engaging hook portion 52 at the tip end and the connecting shaft 57 reversed, and the connecting shaft 5
The protrusion angle of the link lever 58 with respect to
In the case of (the protrusion angle of the link lever 54 with respect to the connecting shaft 53), the difference is 180 °. Reference numeral 59 is a bearing member that holds the connecting shaft 57 rotatably with respect to the movable frame 7.

The two holding bodies 50 and 51 are interlockingly swingable by a link rod 62 connecting the link levers 54 and 58. An input lever 63 is integrally projectingly provided on one of the above-described link levers (the link lever 58 is located on the lower left in FIG. 9), and the movable lever 7 is attached to the input lever 63. A swing drive tool 65 such as a fluid pressure cylinder attached to the same is connected. This rocking drive tool 65 is used for the input lever 6
It is provided so that the state in which 3 is pushed out is the standby state.

Therefore, when the swing drive tool 65 is operated,
The input lever 63 is pulled toward the swing drive tool 65 side,
This causes the connecting shaft 57 to rotate in a direction in which the holding body 51 is swung downward. Along with this, the link lever 54 having the input lever 63 is swung in the retracting direction via the link rod 62. Therefore, the connecting shaft 53 rotates in a direction in which the holding body 50 is swung downward (see FIG. 1). Of course, if the swing drive tool 65 is operated in the reverse direction, the holding bodies 50 and 51 return to the original state and swing.

In this way, the two holding bodies 50, 51 can be operated synchronously with each other in a state of facing downward and a state of being housed in a folded shape (substantially horizontal state) with respect to the elevating base frame 2. Has become. Further, by operating the swing drive tool 65 with a small width when both the sandwiching bodies 50, 51 are in the downward state, the operation of sandwiching or releasing the second type article P in each engaging hook portion 52 can be performed. Can be done.

In the second hand section 4, when the second type article P is to be lifted from the second carry-in conveyor PC (see FIG. 2) or the like, the level detecting means 43 provided in the first hand section 3 is provided. Can be used to detect the receiving height of the second type article P. That is, in the second hand section 4, both holding bodies 50, 51 face downward,
In addition, it is in the released position, and the hooking piece 14 is inserted inward in the first hand portion 3 (the support rod 22 is in the vertical state).
While keeping the above, the elevating base frame 2 is lowered toward the second type article P. At this time, when the level detecting means 43 comes into contact with the second-type article P and detects it, the elevating base frame 2 starts to move up again. Then, when the amount of elevation of the elevating base frame 2 reaches a preset level difference between the first hand part 3 and the second hand part 4, the elevating of the elevating base frame 2 is stopped and the second frame continues. The hand portion 4 is designed to cause a clamping operation.

As is clear from the above description, in the robot hand device 1 according to the present invention, the second robot as shown in FIG.
From the carry-in conveyor PC to the carry-out conveyor EC Second-class goods P
Transfer and transfer from the first carry-in conveyor WC to the carry-out conveyor EC
Transfer of the first type article W to (on the transferred second type article P) or stacking of the first type article W with respect to the transferred first type article W in one robot hand device 1. It can be done.

When the first hand unit 3 is holding, lifting, and transporting the first type article W, the second type article W
The hand unit 4 is configured to house the holding bodies 50 and 51 in a folded shape with respect to the elevating base frame 2. Further, as described above, the level detecting means 43 provided in the first hand unit 3 is not limited to the case where the first hand unit 3 detects the unloading height of the first-type article W, but the second hand unit 4 is also included. Is also used when detecting the receiving height of the second type article P.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, various sensors and switches can be used as the level detecting means 43. The detailed structure of the first hand unit 3 and the second hand unit 4 can be changed as appropriate, and for example, the number of hooking pieces 14 in the first hand unit 3 can be changed, or one of the holding bodies 12 and 13 can be changed. A hooking piece 14 may be provided on the. In addition, the holding bodies 50 and 51 of the second hand unit 4 are set to the first
It is also possible to make a plate-like one as shown in the hand section 3.

It is also possible to hold the second type article P by the second hand section 4 while holding the first type article W in the first hand section 3. The first type article W and the second type article P are not limited. Transfer robot R (see Fig. 2)
Is not limited in any way.

[0035]

According to the present invention, which has the above-described structure, when the first hand portion operates to hold the first type article, the second hand portion holds the holding body. It is in a state of being folded and stored in the elevating base frame. Therefore, the second hand portion does not interfere with the operation of the first hand portion, does not interfere with other objects in the transport path, and saves space in the installation area and operating space of the device itself. In addition, it will be possible to control soaring equipment costs. Further, the second hand portion is less likely to be affected by the conveyance vibration, the inertial force at the time of braking, and the like, and accordingly, the failure and the damage can be suppressed.

When the raising / lowering base frame is lowered to direct the second hand portion to hold the second type article, the second type article is received by the level detecting means provided in the first hand section. The height can be detected to stop the elevating base frame from descending. Originally, the level detecting means is used for stopping the lowering when lowering the elevating base frame in order to unload the first type article to the predetermined position for the first hand portion that originally holds the first type article. It is a thing. That is,
By this level detecting means, it is possible to stop the lowering of the elevating base frame for both hand parts (common use of the level detecting means), and it is possible to simplify the structure and control. Therefore, also in this respect, the equipment cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a robot hand device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an implementation situation of a robot hand device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an elevating base frame.

FIG. 4 is a partially crushed perspective view showing a first hand portion.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing a level detecting means provided on the hooking piece.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a lifting operation state of the first type article by the first hand unit in a side view direction.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a lifting operation state of the first type article by the first hand unit in a front view direction.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an unloading operation state of a first type article by the first hand unit in a front view direction.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a second hand portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Robot hand device 2 Lifting base frame 3 1st hand part 4 2nd hand part 12 Clamping body (1st hand part) 13 Clamping body (1st hand part) 14 Hooking piece 43 Level detection means 50 Clamping body (2nd hand) Part) 51 sandwiching body (second hand part) W type 1 article P type 2 article

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A pair of holding bodies (1) capable of holding a first type article (W) with respect to an elevating base frame (2) provided so as to be able to elevate and lower.
2, 13) having a first hand part (3) and a pair of sandwiching bodies (50, 51) capable of holding the second type article (P) below the first hand part (3). Second hand part (4)
Is provided, and when the first hand part (3) is operated, the second hand part (4) can store the holding body (50, 51) in a folding shape with respect to the elevating base frame (2). A robot hand device that can be used for two types of articles. 2. The first hand part (3) has one or both of the holding bodies (12, 13).
In addition to 3), a hooking piece (14) capable of supporting and holding the bottom surface of the first type article (W) is provided, and the hooking piece (14) is provided.
Is provided with level detecting means (43) for detecting the unloading height of the first type article (W), and when the level detecting means (43) operates the second hand portion (4). Two
The robot hand device for dual use as a dual article according to claim 1, wherein the receiving height of the secondary article (P) can be detected. 3. The robot hand device according to claim 2, wherein when the second hand section (4) is activated, the level detection means (43) moves up and down until the receiving height for the second type article (P) is detected. After lowering (2), the elevating base frame (2) is raised according to the set level difference between the first hand section (3) and the second hand section (4), and the second hand section (4) is moved. A robot hand device for dual-purpose articles, which is configured to operate.