JPH0312006B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a workpiece posture control device in a transfer device.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a workpiece posture control device for this type of transfer device, for example, one having a structure shown in FIG. This is illustrated in the posture control device used when welding the main floor panel and left and right body side panels in the car body assembly process. This conveyor 2 linearly conveys a pair of left and right body side panels S ₁ and S ₂ supported by a hanger 3 in an attitude of its own weight. 4
A and 4B are the pillars 1a and 1 of the base 1, respectively.
The transfer unit 4A, 4B is a transfer unit disposed so as to be able to move up and down along the direction b. A tilt cylinder 8 for rotating the arm 7, and a tilt cylinder 8 for rotating the arm 7.
The slider 9 is equipped with a slider 9 that can be slid along the slider 9 and a slide cylinder 10 for sliding the slider 9, and the slider 9 also has body side panels S ₁ and S ₂ that are workpieces.
a rotatable finger 11 for supporting the
A cylinder 12 for rotating the finger 11 and a clamp cylinder 13 for gripping and clamping the works S ₁ and S ₂ are attached.
The transfer units 4A and 4B are configured to simultaneously move up and down along the support columns 1a and 1b via a chain 15 when a motor 14 is activated.

Further, reference numerals 16A and 16B are assembly jigs arranged so as to be able to slide on the base 17, and these assembly jigs 16A and 16B are attached to the transfer units 4A and 4.
This is for receiving the works S ₁ and S ₂ transferred by B, respectively, and positioning and setting them on the main floor panel. Note that 18 is a balance weight.

In the apparatus having the above configuration, the workpiece is moved by the operation of the slide cylinder 10 at the upper limit position of the transfer units 4A and 4B as shown in FIG.
The slider 9 moves forward with respect to S ₁ and S ₂ , and the finger 11 rotates upward, and at the same time, the clamp cylinder 13 performs a clamping operation, thereby removing the workpiece that was previously supported by the hanger 3 in its own weight position. S ₁ and S ₂ are received by transfer units 4A and 4B. Next, by the reverse operation of the slide cylinder 10, the slider 9 that has clamped the works S ₁ and S ₂ is moved back. At this time, the tilt cylinder 8 operates simultaneously with or later than the retreating movement of the slider 9, and the workpieces S ₁ and S ₂ are rotated by rotating the entire arm 7 as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. The assembly jig 16A with the works S ₁ and S ₂ at the bottom is tilted.
16B. When the posture control of the works S ₁ and S ₂ is completed in this way, the motor 14 is started and both the transfer units 4A and 4B are lowered along the support columns 1a and 1b. When the transfer units 4A, 4B descend to the lower limit position, the assembly jigs 16A, 16B are attached to the works S ₁ , S ₂ supported by the transfer units 4A, 4B.
moves forward, and the fingers 11 and clamp cylinders 13 perform unclamping operations, respectively, so that the works S ₁ and S ₂ on the transfer units 4A and 4B are transferred to the assembly jigs 16A and 16B, respectively. Thereafter, as the assembly jigs 16A and 16B move forward further, the works _S1 and _S2 are positioned and set relative to the main floor panel M, and the predetermined welding is performed using a welding gun (not shown). Become.

However, according to the above-described conventional configuration, the mechanism for moving the works S ₁ and S ₂ back and forth in the transfer unit and the mechanism for tilting the works S ₁ and S ₂ , including the drive source, are separate and independent. Because there is
In addition to having a complex and large structure, it also has a large weight, which poses a problem in terms of space and cost. In addition, as a device of other type, for example, JP-A-53-
There is a device shown in Japanese Patent No. 119575. This is done by providing a rail to guide the lifting and lowering movement of the transfer unit, and also by giving this rail a predetermined angle of inclination.
In the process of the transfer unit descending, the entire unit is tilted and displaced in accordance with the rail inclination angle.

However, with this method, the accuracy of the tilting displacement of the transfer unit depends on the accuracy of the inclination angle of the rail, so there is a limit to the accuracy of the posture of the workpiece.
If the required workpiece posture changes, the entire rail must be replaced.

In view of the above points, this invention was made with the aim of simplifying and reducing the weight of the transfer unit in particular.For this purpose, the present invention provides a pair of links having different lengths. The present invention is characterized in that, by a single mechanism mainly consisting of, the forward and backward movement and tilting operation of the workpiece gripping section are performed simultaneously, and the amount of tilting displacement of the workpiece can be adjusted.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. However, in explaining this embodiment, the same parts as in the conventional example will be given the same reference numerals.

That is, FIGS. 2 and 3 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which the transfer units 20A and 20B
A pair of links 24 and 25 having different lengths are rotatably suspended from the unit body 21 via a bracket 22 and a pin 23 so as to be parallel to each other. A turnbuckle mechanism 26 as a link length adjustment mechanism is interposed in one link 25, and the length of the link 25 can be adjusted by rotating a screw shaft 26a.

Further, a frame 27 is connected to the lower ends of both links 24 and 25 via pins 36. This frame 27 includes rotatable fingers 28 for supporting the body sand panels S ₁ and S ₂ as workpieces, a cylinder 29 for rotating the fingers 28, and a cylinder 29 for clamping the workpieces S ₁ and S ₂ . Therefore, a clamp cylinder 30 having a clamp claw 30a is attached to each of them, and these fingers 28, cylinder 29, clamp cylinder 30, etc. constitute a work gripping mechanism 31.

Furthermore, a swing cylinder 32 is attached to the unit main body 21, which is a direct-acting actuator for moving the work gripping mechanism 31 back and forth with respect to the conveyor 2 described above. It is connected to by a pin 33.

Therefore, according to the device having the above configuration, while the conveyor 2 is running, the transfer unit 20
The workpiece gripping mechanisms 31 of A and 20B are waiting at a position advanced relative to the conveyor 2, that is, the position shown by the solid line in _{FIG .} When the conveyor 2 reaches this point, the conveyor 2 stops, the fingers 28 rotate upward to support the upper ends of the works S ₁ and S ₂ , and at the same time, the clamp cylinder 30 operates to clamp the works S ₁ and S ₂ respectively. Next, the swing cylinder 32
is activated, and the workpiece gripping mechanism 31 moves back to the position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3 with the pin 23 as the center of rotation. At this time, since the lengths of the links 24 and 25 supporting the workpiece gripping mechanism 31 are different from each other, the entire workpiece gripping mechanism 31 including the works S ₁ and S ₂ tilts upward to the right in FIG. 3. In other words, in the process of the backward movement of the workpiece gripping mechanism 31, the workpieces S ₁ and S ₂ , which had been in the self-weight position until then, are moved to the assembly jig 16.
The postures of A and 16B are controlled according to the required inclination.

Thereafter, the transfer units 20A and 20B are lowered along the pillars 1a and 1b to the lowering limit position by starting the motor 14, and from this point on, the works S ₁ and S ₂ are moved to the assembly jigs 16A and 16B as described above. Then, the works S ₁ and S ₂ are positioned and set with respect to the main floor panel M by the forward movement of the assembly jigs 16A and 16B. In addition, if the workpiece itself is changed or the inclination of the workpiece required on the jig side is changed, the turnbuckle mechanism 2
6, the length of the link 25 is adjusted.

As described above, according to the present invention, a pair of links of different lengths are used as the structure of the movable part of the transfer unit, and a single mechanism is used to perform the backward movement of the workpiece and the tilting movement of the workpiece. The structure of the transfer unit is significantly simplified compared to the conventional one, making it possible to reduce its weight, and space constraints are alleviated, making it very advantageous in terms of space and cost. In addition, since it has a link length adjustment mechanism, it is possible to adjust the workpiece gripping mechanism and the amount of tilting displacement of the workpiece, and it is possible to quickly respond to changes in the workpiece and required workpiece angle. , the versatility of the device increases.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a workpiece posture control device in a conventional transfer device, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of the workpiece posture control device according to the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged explanatory diagram of main parts. 2...Conveyor (conveyance means), 16A, 16B
...Assembling jig, 20A, 20B...Transfer unit, 21...Unit main body, 24, 25...Link, 26...Turnbuckle mechanism as link length adjustment mechanism, 27...Frame, 28... Finger, 29...Cylinder, 30...Clamp cylinder, 31...Work gripping mechanism, 32...Swing cylinder (drive source), _S1 , _S2 ...Body side panel (work).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. After receiving a workpiece transported by a predetermined transporting means in a transfer unit that can be raised and lowered, when transferring it to a jig located below the transporting means, the workpiece is placed in the posture required by the jig. In the transfer device that controls the attitude and transfers the
The transfer unit includes a pair of links having mutually different lengths, each of which is rotatably connected at one end to a unit main body that can be moved up and down;
It is attached to the other end of these links, and when the link rotates, it moves back and forth with respect to the conveyance means to grasp the workpiece, and also controls the posture of the workpiece in conjunction with the forward and backward movement. A workpiece gripping mechanism that tilts and displaces, a drive source that is provided on the unit main body and rotates the link, and a link length that is provided in the middle of one of the links to adjust the amount of tilting displacement of the workpiece gripping mechanism. 1. A workpiece posture control device in a transfer device, comprising: an adjustment mechanism.