JPH0230771B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an apparatus for feeding workpieces for press working through a plurality of press engines arranged at intervals.

(Prior Art) Generally, when pressing a workpiece, different pressing processes are performed continuously using a plurality of press machines to obtain a final pressed product. When performing such press working, the press machines are arranged at a predetermined interval from each other, and the workpiece for press work is sequentially fed to each press machine by a workpiece feeding device.

A conventional feeding device includes, for example, a robot provided in each press machine and a conveyor disposed between the press machines. In this device, one robot takes out a workpiece from a press machine in a previous process and places it on a conveyor, and the workpiece conveyed by the conveyor is grabbed by the other robot and supplied to a press machine in a subsequent process.

Also, a robot takes out a workpiece from a press machine in the previous process and places it on a table placed between the press machines, and then the above-mentioned robot or another robot grabs the workpiece placed on the table. Some are supplied to press machines in subsequent processes.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the above configuration, the workpiece is transferred from the robot to the table or conveyor (hereinafter referred to as table, etc.).
Furthermore, since the workpiece is transferred from a table or the like to a robot, it is necessary to position the workpiece on the table or the like using a positioning mechanism having a guide pin or the like. Therefore, prior to press working, it is necessary to adjust the position of the guide pins of the positioning mechanism according to the dimensions of the workpiece, and to adjust the position of the table etc. in the vertical direction. There was a drawback that it took a while. In addition, tables and the like have been an obstacle during maintenance work on presses and robots.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its gist is that a robot is placed near a press machine in the front process and a press machine in the back process, respectively. The movement areas of the workpiece holders of each robot interfere with each other between both press machines, and each workpiece holder moves back and forth from the lower die of each press machine to the interference area, and transfers the work in this interference area. In a feeding device for press workpieces, at least one of the robots described above has a rotating body rotatably provided on the frame around a central axis, and a rotating body that is perpendicular to the rotating axis. an arm having one end rotatable about an axis facing in the direction of rotation, and an arm having one end rotatable at the other end of the arm about an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the arm; a swinging body having the work holding portion provided at the other end; first and second swinging bodies for rotating the rotating body, the arm, and the swinging body, respectively;
and a third driving source, and the workpiece holding part includes a suction part with a suction surface facing in a direction perpendicular to the rotating direction of the vibrating body, and each workpiece holding part is located in an interference area. In this state, the swinging body of at least one of the robots is rotated to bring the workpiece into contact with each workpiece holding part, and in this state, the suction of the workpiece holding part holding the workpiece is released, and
A workpiece feeding device for press working is characterized in that a workpiece is transferred between one robot and another robot by suctioning a workpiece holding portion that receives the workpiece.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1A indicates a press machine for the front process, and 1B indicates a press machine for the post process. These press machines 1A and 1B are lined up with a gap in between. Each press machine 1A, 1B has a lower die 4 on which a work is placed, and an upper die 5 that moves up and down.

The work X for press processing is fed to each of the press machines 1A and 1B by a work feed device that constitutes the gist of the present invention. The workpiece feeding device has four robots 11, 12, 13, and 14. Robots 11 and 12 are installed on both sides of the press machine 1A for the front process, and robots 13 and 14 are installed on both sides of the press machine 1B for the post process.

Each robot 11-14 has the same structure, and the detailed structure will be explained below. 1st
As shown in FIG.
is a four-axis robot (a robot with four degrees of freedom), and has a vertically long support frame 21 fixed to the side surface of each press 1A, 1B via a bracket 20. Two guide rails 22 extending in the vertical (hereinafter referred to as vertical) direction are provided on the side surface of the support body 21. An elevating body 23 is slidably supported on the guide rail 22. A first servo motor 24 is fixed to the upper side surface of the support body 21 . The support body 21 is hollow, and the servo motor 2 is mounted at the upper end of the interior.
4 (not shown; the same applies to the following internal configuration) is arranged, and a pulley is fixed to this shaft. In addition, support 2
Another shaft is rotatably supported at the lower end of the inside of the shaft 1, and a pulley is also fixed to this shaft. A timing belt is applied to both of these pulleys, and the elevating body 23 is connected to the timing belt through a connecting fitting. This connecting fitting can be slid up and down within a vertical hole 25 formed in the side wall of the support body 21. The elevating body 23 is moved up and down by driving the first servo motor 24.

A rotating body 28 is supported on the lower surface of the elevating body 23 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis. Specifically, the rotating body 28 has an upper wall 28a and a pair of vertical flanges 28b, and is formed in a U-shape. A shaft (not shown) vertically passes through the elevating body 23 and is rotatably supported, and an upper wall portion 28 of the rotating body 28 is attached to the lower end of the shaft.
a is fixed. The upper surface of the elevating body 23 has a second
A servo motor (first drive source) 29 is fixed, and this second servo motor 29 is connected to the rotating body 28 via the shaft. The rotating body 28 is rotated by the drive of the second servo motor 29 .

The upper end of the arm 30 is supported by the rotating body 28 so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis that is perpendicular to the line connecting the presses 1A and 1B. Specifically, the arm 30 is hollow. Rotating body 28
A shaft (not shown) horizontally passes through the pair of vertical flanges 28a and is rotatably supported, and the arm 30 is fixed to this shaft. A third servo motor (second drive source) 31 is fixed to one side wall 28b of the rotating body 28, and the third servo motor 31 is connected to the arm 30 via the shaft. The arm 30 is rotated by this third servo motor 31 .

A swinging body 35 is supported at the lower end of the arm 30 so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis (parallel to the horizontal axis around which the arm 30 rotates).
Specifically, the swinging body 35 includes a pair of vertical flanges 35a facing each other and a pair of horizontal flanges 3
5b. A shaft 36 extends horizontally through the lower end of the arm 30 and is rotatably supported, and the vertical flanges 35a of the swinging body 35 are fixed to both ends of the shaft 36. A fourth servo motor (third drive source) 37 is fixed to the other vertical flange 28b of the rotating body 28. A sleeve rotatably surrounds the shaft that supports the upper end of the arm 30, and the fourth servo motor 37 is connected to this sleeve. A pulley is fixed to each of the sleeve and the shaft 36, and a timing belt is hung around the pulley. The oscillating body 35 is rotated by the drive of the fourth servo motor 37.

The swinging body 35 is provided with a work holding section 40 . This work holding section 40 has a pair of brackets 41 that are parallel to each other, and each bracket 41 is provided with two suction cups 42 (suction portions) facing downward. The suction cup 42 is capable of suctioning a workpiece by performing a suction action using a vacuum mechanism (not shown).
The structure may also be such that the workpiece is adsorbed by. One end of each bracket 41 is connected to the horizontal flange 3 of the swinging body 35.
5b.

The central portion between the presses 1A and 1B is an interference region 2 where the movement regions of the workpiece holders 40 of the robots 12 and 13 overlap, as will be described later. In the work holding parts 40 of the robots 12 and 13, the mounting positions of the brackets 41 on the swinging body 35 are different from each other, as shown in FIG.

A stand 50 supported by a pantograph mechanism 51 is installed near the pre-process press machine 1A, and a large number of works X are stacked on this stand 50.

Further, a conveyor 60 is arranged near the press machine 1B for the post-process.

The general operation of the press workpiece feeding device having the above configuration will be explained. First, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a method for feeding the work X without turning it over will be described. The workpieces X stacked on the stand 50 are supplied to the press machine 1A in the previous process by the robot 11, and after being pressed as shown in FIG. Take it out. Robot 13 is
Receive this work X directly from robot 12,
Supply to press machine 1B. And press machine 1B
After pressing this work X, robot 1
4, the work X is taken out and placed on the conveyor 60.

Each of the press machines 1A and 1B performs press working at the same time. The robots 11 to 14 are all in the same posture during this press processing, and the arms 30 are tilted in the front direction, that is, the press machines 1A and 1.
It faces in a direction perpendicular to the line connecting B, and the work holding part 40 is horizontal.

Next, the detailed operation of each robot 11-14 will be explained. In the robot 11, the workpiece holding section 40 is lowered from the standby position by the drive of the first servo motor 24, and after the workpiece X placed on the table 50 is sucked by the suction cup 42, it is raised. Next, the arm 3 is driven by the second servo motor 29.
0 horizontally by 90 degrees to the right in FIG. 1, and move the workpiece holder 40 to a position directly above the lower die of the press 1A. Next, by driving the first servo motor 24, the work holding section 40 is lowered to place the work X on the lower mold, and the suction state of the work X by the suction cup 42 is released. Next, the work holding part 40 is raised again by the drive of the first servo motor 24, and then the arm 30 is moved to the left in the figure by the drive of the second servo motor 29.
By turning the robot 11 through 90 degrees, the robot 11 returns to the standby state. In addition, in this robot 11,
The third servo motor 31 functions only to maintain the arm 30 at a predetermined inclination angle, and the fourth servo motor 37 functions only to maintain the workpiece holder 40 in a horizontal state.

In the robot 11 mentioned above, each workpiece
Each time the workpiece is removed from the workpiece, the pantograph mechanism 51 raises the platform 50 by the thickness of the workpiece
Always keep the top workpiece X at the same height.

In the robot 12, after the work X is pressed by the press machine 1A, the second servo motor 29 is driven to horizontally rotate the arm 30 90 degrees to the left from the standby position. Next, the first servo motor 2
4, the work holding part 40 is lowered,
Further, the workpiece X of the press machine 1A is sucked by the suction cup 42 and then raised. Next, the second servo motor 2
9, the arm 30 is horizontally rotated 180 degrees to the right, and the workpiece holder 40 is moved to the interference area 2. In addition, in the process of this horizontal rotation, the fourth servo motor 37 rotates the swinging body 35 downward,
In the interference region 2, the workpiece X is held downward.

On the other hand, in the robot 13, after the press work is completed, the third servo motor 29 is driven to horizontally rotate the arm 30 by 90 degrees to the left from the standby position.
Before the work holding part 40 of the robot 12 reaches the interference area 2, the work holding part 40 is moved to the interference area 2.
Let it stand still. Therefore, the above robot 1
When the arm 30 of the robot 12 horizontally rotates 180 degrees to the right, the workpiece It is located at the bottom.

Next, the fourth servo motor 37 of the robot 12
, the swinging body 35 is rotated upward.
At this time, as shown in FIG.
Since the 13 work holding parts 40 occupy different areas on the horizontal plane A of the interference area 2, the work holding part 40 of the robot 12 can pass through the work holding part 40 of the robot 13 without colliding with the work holding part 40 of the robot 13. Then, as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 1, it becomes diagonally upward. During this rotating process, as shown in FIG. At this time, the workpiece holding section 40 of the robot 12 temporarily stops. At this stop, the workpiece X is moved to the robot 13.
The suction cup 42 of the robot 12 releases the suction state of the robot 12. As a result, the work X is directly transferred from the robot 12 to the robot 13.

After the above-mentioned delivery, the second servo motor 29 of the robot 13 is driven to horizontally rotate the arm 30 by 180 degrees to the right, and move the work holding section 40 to a position directly above the lower die of the press machine 1B in the subsequent process. Next, by driving the first servo motor 24, the work holding part 40 is lowered to place the work X on the lower die, the suction state by the suction cup 42 is released, and after this, the work holding part 40 is raised. . Next, the second
The arm 30 is moved to the left by the drive of the servo motor 29.
By horizontally turning 90 degrees, the robot 13 returns to the standby state.

After the arm 30 of the robot 13 horizontally rotates 180 degrees from the interference area 2 to the press machine 1B in the subsequent process, the arm 30 of the robot 12 is horizontally rotated 90 degrees to the left, and the work holding part 40 is rotated until it becomes horizontal. By rotating downward, the robot 12 returns to the standby state.

In the robots 12 and 13, the third servo motor 31 does not function to move the workpiece holder 40, but functions only to maintain the arm 30 at a predetermined inclination angle. Also,
In the robot 13, the fourth servo motor 37 functions only to hold the workpiece holder 40 horizontally.

In the robot 14, after the workpiece X is pressed by the press machine 1B, the second servo motor 29 is driven to horizontally turn the arm 30 90 degrees to the left from the standby state. Next, the first servo motor 2
4, the workpiece holding section 40 is lowered, and after the workpiece X of the press machine 1B is sucked by the suction cup 42, it is raised. Next, the arm 3 is driven by the third servo motor 31 and the fourth servo motor 37.
0 by 90 degrees counterclockwise in the figure, and rotate the swinging body 35 by 90 degrees clockwise.
As a result, the workpiece X is conveyed above the conveyor 60 in a horizontal state. Next, the work holding section 40 is lowered by driving the first servo motor 24, and the work X is placed on the conveyor 60. Next, the second servo motor 29 horizontally rotates the arm 30 by 90 degrees in the opposite direction to the above, and then the arm 30
and the swinging body 35 in the opposite direction to the above.
By rotating the robot 14 by 90 degrees, the robot 14 returns to the standby state.

As shown in Fig. 2b, the workpiece
In the process of being horizontally rotated by 180 degrees and further transferred from this interference area 2 to the press machine 1B in the subsequent process, the
It is rotated horizontally by 180 degrees and returns to its original state as shown in the figure.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the process of turning the workpiece X over using the workpiece feeding device. In this case, after the workpiece X is lifted by the workpiece holder 40 of the robot 12, the arm 30 is not horizontally rotated, but the third servo motor 32 is driven to rotate the arm 30 by 90 degrees counterclockwise in the figure. At the same time, the fourth servo motor 37 is driven to rotate the swinging body 35 clockwise by 90 degrees. As a result, the workpiece 40 is horizontally moved to the right as shown by the imaginary line. Next, the workpiece holder 40 is moved to the interference region 2 by rotating the swinging body 35 counterclockwise by 180 degrees. In the process of this rotation of the swinging body 35, the workpiece X changes from the state shown in FIG. 4a to the state shown in FIG. 4b, and is turned over. The suction cup 42 of the robot 12 then reaches the suction cup 42 of the stationary robot 13 and stops there. In this state, the suction cup 42 of the robot 13 sucks the workpiece X, and the suction by the suction cup 42 of the robot 12 is released. As a result, work X is transferred. Robots 12 and 13 after this
The operation is the same as in the above case, so the explanation will be omitted. Since the workpiece X is horizontally rotated by 180 degrees while being moved by the robot 13 to the press machine 1B in the subsequent process, it is in the state shown in FIG. 4c.

As described above, the robot 12 includes a rotating body 28 that rotates about a vertical axis, an arm 30 that rotates about a horizontal axis, and a swinging body that rotates about an axis parallel to the horizontal axis of the arm 30. 35, the horizontal rotation of the arm 30 by the second servo motor 29 or the third servo motor 31
By selecting one of the rotations of the arm 30, the workpiece X can be transported without being turned over, or can be transported with it turned over.

In addition, by making the four robots 11 to 14 have the same configuration and changing the program control of the servo motors 24, 29, 31, and 37 to have different functions, the workpiece feeding device can be provided at a relatively low cost. can do.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various embodiments are possible. For example, the robot may not be provided in the press machine, but may be separate from the press machine.

Further, in the above embodiment, the workpiece is transferred between robots in a horizontal state, but it goes without saying that the workpiece may be transferred in a vertical or inclined state.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, when a workpiece is fed from a press machine in a pre-process to a press machine in a post-process, robots placed near each press machine Since workpieces are transferred directly, there is no need for intermediate tables, etc. as in the past.
Maintenance work on presses and robots can be easily performed. Further, there is no need to perform setup work on a table or the like. Furthermore, since at least one of the robots has three rotating members: a rotating body, an arm, and a swinging body, it is possible to arbitrarily choose to transport the workpiece without turning it over or with it turned over. Can be done.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a front view of a workpiece feeding device using imaginary lines and arrows to explain how to transfer a workpiece without turning it over, and FIGS. 2a to 2b are Fig. 1 is a perspective view sequentially showing the state of the workpiece fed by the method shown in Fig. 3; Figures 4a to 4b are perspective views sequentially showing the states of the workpieces fed by the method shown in Figure 2, Figure 5 is a perspective view of the robot, and Figure 6 shows the workpiece holding parts of both robots in the interference area. The plan view and FIG. 7 are the same front views. 1A, 1B...Press machine, 2...Interference area, 1
1, 12, 13, 14... Robot, 21... Support frame, 23... Lifting body, 23... Rotating body, 30... Arm, 35... Shaking body, 40...
Work holding part, 42...Suction cup (suction part), 29
...Second servo motor (first drive source), 31...
...Third servo motor (second drive source), 37...
Fourth servo motor (third drive source), X...work.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Robots are placed near the press machine in the front process and the press machine in the post process, and the movement areas of the workpiece holding parts of each robot interfere with each other between both press machines, and each workpiece holding part is placed near the press machine of each press machine. In a press workpiece feeding device that reciprocates from the lower die to the interference area and transfers the workpiece in the interference area, at least one of the robots is mounted on a frame about a central axis. A rotating body that is rotatably provided, an arm that is provided at one end of the rotating body that is rotatable about an axis that is perpendicular to the rotating axis, and an arm that is attached to the other end of the arm. A swinging body, one end of which is rotatable around an axis parallel to the rotational axis of the swinging body, and the work holding portion is provided at the other end, and the swinging body, the arm, and the swinging head are each rotated. The workpiece holding section includes a suction section with a suction surface facing in a direction perpendicular to the direction of rotation of the vibrating body, and the workpiece holding section includes a suction section having a suction surface facing in a direction perpendicular to the direction of rotation of the vibrating body. In a state where the holding parts are located in the interference area, the swinging body of at least one of the robots is rotated to bring the workpiece into contact with each workpiece holding part, and in this state, the suction of the workpiece holding part holding the workpiece is released. A workpiece feeding device for press working, characterized in that a workpiece is transferred between one robot and another robot by suctioning a workpiece holding portion that receives the workpiece.