JPH0318118Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The invention is used in the technical field of machining in assembly line operations, and in particular, the pallet on which the work is placed is circulated around the processing station of the processing machine. This relates to a transfer device that is transported by

(Prior art) In assembly operations that handle many workpieces, multiple processing machines placed along the conveyance path of the workpieces perform different finishing processes on each workpiece, and the workpieces are sequentially fed to the processing machines. In order to facilitate the positioning and transportation of workpieces, a plurality of pallets on which the workpieces are placed are usually used repeatedly. On the other hand, the coolant used in each processing machine varies depending on the processing content of the workpiece.
Therefore, when the machining contents of the pre-process and post-process are different, and the workpieces are transported on a shared pallet, the different coolant brought in from the pre-process will deteriorate the coolant of the post-process.
To prevent this, special pallets are used in post-processing. In this case, the workpiece is placed on a pallet at the carry-in station and positioned, and after a specified finishing process is performed at the processing station of the processing machine, the workpiece is removed from the pallet at the carry-out station and transferred to the next process. The empty pallet is returned to the loading station and circulated again through the same route as described above. However, the conventional empty pallet return line is
In many cases, they are connected in a plane to the conveyance line that runs from the carry-in station through the processing station to the carry-out station, and therefore the path for returning empty pallets from the carry-out station to the carry-in station runs around the processing machine. Since the installation takes a large detour and occupies a large installation area, not only is it not possible to make effective use of the equipment installation site, but there are also problems such as increased equipment and management costs. For this reason, it is known from Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 49-3281 that lifting means are provided before and after the conveyance line, and a pallet return line is provided below the conveyance line. However, according to this conventional device, the elevated position by the lifting means is set as a pallet loading and unloading station, and the loading and unloading stations for workpieces to and from the pallet are arranged as separate stations. I have no choice but to. Even if the loading station for pallets and workpieces were simply made the same, the pallet returned by the return line would be raised by the lifting means, the pallet would be carried in first, and then the workpiece would be positioned and placed on the pallet. This is not practical because two operations are required and the cycle time may be lengthened.

(Purpose of the invention) In view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional system, the present invention is designed to prevent workpieces and pallets from being located at the same level in the loading station for loading the workpiece and the loading station for unloading the workpiece. An object of the present invention is to provide a transfer device for machining in which the engagement of a workpiece and a pallet at a carry-in station and the separation of a workpiece and a pallet at a carry-out station can be performed in a single operation at a single station.

(Structure of the invention) The means for achieving the above object of the invention are as follows:
Via a carry-in station into which the work is carried in, at least one processing station which processes the work carried from the carry-in station, and a carry-out station which receives and carries out the work processed by the processing station. A conveying means is provided for conveying the workpiece together with the pallet, and a pallet return means is provided below the conveying means for returning the pallet separated from the workpiece from the unloading station to the loading station. A fixed workpiece pedestal on the loading side is set lower than the conveyance height of the workpiece and supports the carried-in workpiece, and a lifting platform for supporting the pallet is raised and lowered below the fixed workpiece pedestal on the loading side to raise and lower the pallet. Lifting means is provided for lifting the workpiece on the fixed workpiece pedestal on the carry-in side via the pallet to a height at which the workpiece is carried by the carrying means, and the carrying-out station is provided with a lifting means set lower than the height at which the workpiece is carried by the carrying means. , a fixed workpiece pedestal on the unloading side that can support the workpiece transported from the processing station, and a lifting table for supporting the pallet raised and lowered below the fixed workpiece holder on the unloading side, and the raised position of the lifting table is set from the conveying means. The apparatus is characterized in that a lifting means is provided for lowering the pallet and separating the pallet from the workpiece, corresponding to the pallet conveyance height.

The effect of the above means is that the work carried into the carry-in station is engaged with the pallet by the lifting operation of the elevating means that supplies the pallet to the carry-in station, and then the workpiece is moved from the carry-in station to the processing station of the processing machine by the conveying means. At the unloading station, the pallets are separated from the workpieces and recovered by the lowering operation of the lifting means, and the empty pallets separated from the lifting means are returned to the loading station by the return means. It is conveyed to the elevating means, and thereafter the same action as described above is repeated in succession to the elevating operation of the elevating means.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. Note that in this example, the left direction refers to the front and the right direction refers to the rear in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 5.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a transfer device, which is housed in the housing of a processing machine 2 such as a honing machine, and includes a carry-in station _S1 into which a work W is carried in, and a transfer device S1 in which a work 3 transferred from the carry-in station is processed. A first processing station _S2 , a second processing station _S3 , and a carry-out station _S4 that receives and carries out the workpiece W processed at each of the processing stations are positioned at equal intervals in the front-rear direction, and above each of the stations. At the position level,
A conveyance path 3 through which the workpiece W passes together with the pallet P is provided, and a pallet return path 5 through which only the pallet P passes through in the opposite direction to the conveyance path 3 is provided at the lower level.

The carry-in station _S1 includes a fixed workpiece pedestal 4 on the carry-in side that positions and supports the carried-in workpiece 3, and a pallet P that is raised to place the work W on the fixed workpiece pedestal 4 on the carry-in side and the pallet. The first processing station S ₂ and the second processing station S ₃ are provided with a pallet supply side elevating means 6 that engages the pallet supply side. A fixed conveyance table 10 that can move up and down is provided, and the unloading station _S4 is provided with an unloading side fixed workpiece pedestal 1 that supports the workpiece W conveyed from the second processing station _S3 .
1, and a pallet recovery side elevating means 12 that lowers the pallet P and separates the pallet P from the workpiece W.
are provided, and at the elevated position level of both lifting means, the workpiece W together with the pallet P is transferred from the carrying-in station _S1 to the first processing station _S2 and the second processing station S2.
A conveying means 13 for sequentially transporting the processing station _S3 to the unloading station _S4 , and the unloading station at the lowered position level of both the lifting means 6 and 12.
A pallet return means 1 for returning the pallet P separated from the pallet recovery side elevating means 12 of _S4 to the pallet supply side elevating means 6 of the carrying station _S1 .
4 and a fixed pallet return table 15 are provided, and the transfer device 1 is constituted by each of the above-mentioned main parts.

Next, details of each of the above-mentioned main parts will be described.

The processing machine 2 has a first honing tool 16 and a second honing tool 16.
The honing tool 17 is moved between the first machining station S2 and the _second machining station _S3 by conventionally known drive means, a longitudinal feed mechanism, a lateral feed mechanism, and others.
It is provided so that it can move forward and backward with respect to each processing part of the workpiece W located at.

The workpiece W is, for example, a cylinder block of an automobile engine, and positioning holes 18, 18, 18, 18, which can be engaged with positioning pins 29 provided on a pallet P, which will be described later, are formed at the four corners of the lower surface of the workpiece W.

The fixed work holder 4 on the carry-in side has a structure similar to, for example, a roller conveyor, and is connected to the carry-in station _S1.
The frame 19 is fixed to the housing 2 after processing, and the frame has a plurality of horizontal shaft rollers 20, 20, . Front stoppers 21, 21 and rear stoppers 22 are provided at equally spaced positions and at the front and rear ends thereof. Front stopper 21
is for regulating the front end position of the workpiece W when it is carried into the fixed workpiece pedestal 4 on the carrying-in side and positioning the carrying-in station _S1 at a predetermined position.
Its position with respect to the frame 19 can be adjusted in the front-rear direction. In addition, the rear stopper 22
serves to prevent the workpiece W from returning at the predetermined position, and as shown in FIG. 1, one end is pivotally supported by the frame 19, and the other end is urged upward by a compression spring (not shown) or the like. When the workpiece W enters, it is pressed against the workpiece W and accommodated in the frame 19, and when the workpiece W reaches a predetermined position on the loading station _S1 , it is formed so as to protrude upward, and the position is frame 1
9 so as to be adjustable in the front and back direction. The height at which the front stopper 21 and the rear stopper 22 protrude upward from the outer peripheral surface of the horizontal axis roller 20 is such that the workpiece W is lifted off the horizontal axis roller 20 by the lifting operation of the pallet supply side lifting means 6. It is located at a level lower than the lower surface of the roof. Reference numerals 23 and 23 in FIG. 2 are work guides, which are designed to correct misalignment on both sides of the work W when it enters the fixed work holder 4 on the loading side and guide it to a predetermined position on the loading station _S1 . , is provided at the rear end of the fixed workpiece pedestal 4 on the loading side or in the housing of the processing machine 2 at a position rearward therefrom. In the pallet P, floor bars 25, 25 each having an L-shaped cross section and extending in parallel to each other in the front-rear direction to both ends of the floor panel 24 are arranged at intervals on the lower surface of a rectangular plate-shaped floor panel 24, The recess 25 of the floor rail and the floor board 2
U-shaped guide grooves 26, 26 facing each other are formed by the lower surfaces of the guide grooves 4 and 4. Reference numeral 27 indicates positioning holes, which are bored at four locations on the lower surface of each end of the bottom crosspiece 25.
Pallet positioning pins 40, 40 of the pallet supply side elevating means 4 and pallet positioning pins 62, 62 of the pallet recovery side elevating means 12, which will be described later.
...is engaged with. A return hook 28 is provided on the lower surface of one end of the floor board 24, and is engaged with an engagement piece 79 of the pallet return means 14, which will be described later. Further, on the upper surface of the floor board 24, there are positioning pins 29, 29, . Positioning holes 18, 1 of the work 3
8..., and the conveying hook 30 is engaged with the conveying means 1.
3 is engaged with a conveyance hook groove 70 which will be described later.

The pallet supply side elevating means 6 includes an elevating table 31 that is connected to a hydraulically operated vertical cylinder 3 erected on a base 32 of the processing machine 2, and guides erected parallel to both sides of the vertical cylinder. rail 34,
34, the platform is provided with a rectangular plate-shaped floor body 35 projecting horizontally from the middle part of the front side (right side in FIG. 2) of the wall body 36; On the back side of the wall (on the left side in FIG. 2), there is a piston rod 3 of a vertical cylinder 33.
7, and four engaging members 39, 39, . . ., which are vertically movably engaged with the guide rails 34, 34 are provided. On the other hand, the floor body 35 has pallet positioning pins 40,
40... and a fixed pallet holder 41, and the pallet positioning pin is connected to the loading station.
The pallet is positioned by engaging with the positioning hole 27 of the pallet 5 in _S1 , and extends upward through the four corners of the floor body 35.
It is provided with a cylinder 42 in the middle thereof and is erected so as to be movable up and down. Reference numeral 43 is a switch for detecting the ascending end position and descending end position of the pallet positioning pin 40. In addition, fixed pallet pedestal 4
Reference numeral 1 denotes a frame 44 which supports the pallet P so as to be movable back and forth, and whose front end protrudes from the front edge of the platform floor 35 and extends in the front-rear direction.
44 are erected in parallel on the floor body 35 with their respective horizontal members protruding in opposite directions, and a plurality of horizontal axis rollers 45 and vertical axis rollers 46 are provided at the protruding ends of each of the horizontal members. are arranged at equal intervals in the front and back direction, and by rotating each of the rollers in the guide grooves 26, 26 of the pallet P, the pallet 5 is formed so that it can be moved back and forth without lateral wobbling. There is. In addition, the above-mentioned lifting platform 31
supports the pallet P and rises, and when it reaches the raised position level, the positioning pin 2 of the pallet
9, 29... engage with the positioning holes 18, 18, etc. of the workpiece W on the fixed workpiece pedestal 4 on the carry-in side, and the lower surface of the workpiece is attached to the fixed workpiece pedestal 4 on the carry-in side.
The horizontal shaft rollers 20, 20, . . .

The fixed conveyance tables 8 and 10 are for receiving the pallet P on which the workpiece W is placed at predetermined positions of the first processing station _S2 and the second processing station _S3 . The frames 4 are arranged at appropriate intervals, and so that the pallets P can move straight by fitting the guide grooves 26, 26 during transportation.
7, 48, horizontal axis rollers 49, 49... and vertical axis roller 5 arranged at equal intervals in the front and rear direction
0, 50..., and is formed so that its cross-sectional shape, lifting position level, and center in the conveyance direction are comparable to the fixed pallet pedestal 41 of the pallet supply side lifting means 6. 51 and 52 are each fixed conveyance platform 8 and 1
This is a stopper when the value falls to 0.

The unloading side fixed workpiece pedestal 11 is arranged at equal intervals in the front and back direction relative to the frame 53 so as to be located at the unloading station S4 facing the loading side fixed workpiece holder ₄ . The workpiece W is provided with a plurality of horizontal axis rollers 54, ₅₄ , . . . , so that its lower surface is located at a level above the upper surface of the horizontal axis roller 54 of the fixed workpiece holder 11 on the unloading side.

The pallet collection side elevating means 12 has an elevating table 55 constructed by a vertical cylinder 56 erected on the base 32 and guide rails 57, 57 erected parallel to both sides of the vertical cylinder. The lifting platform 55 is provided so as to be movable up and down.
8 and a floor body 59, the wall body includes a bracket (not shown) connected to a piston rod (not shown) of a vertical cylinder 56, and a guide rail 5.
7, 57 are provided with four engaging members (not shown) that are vertically movably engaged, and on the other hand, the floor body 59 is provided with a mechanism for positioning the pallet P at the unloading station _S4 . , a cylinder 60 is provided in the middle part, and a switch 6 is provided in the lower end side position.
1, 61 are arranged, a frame 63 for supporting the pallet P so as to be movable back and forth, horizontal shaft rollers 64, 64... arranged at equal intervals in the front and back direction, and vertical A fixed pallet holder 66 consisting of shaft rollers 65, 65, . . . is provided. In short, the pallet recovery side elevating means 12 is a fixed pallet holder 66.
The shape, size and structure of each main part are the same as those of the main parts of the pallet supply side elevating means 6, except that the rear end thereof is provided to protrude from the rear end edge of the floor body 59, and Fixed pallet pedestal 66
The fixed pallet holder 41 has a cross-sectional shape, a raised position level, and a center in the transport direction of the pallet P comparable to the fixed conveyor table 10 of the second processing station _S3 , and the raised position level is made to match the fixed pallet holder 41;
Fixed conveyance tables 8, 10 and fixed pallet pedestal 66
As a result, the conveyance path 3 for the pallet P on which the work W is placed is formed.

The conveying means 13 includes a conveying bar 67 and a guide rail 6.
8 and a horizontal cylinder 69, the conveyor bar 67 is arranged along each of the stations S ₁ , S ₂ , S ₃ , S ₄ , and has a lower surface that engages with the conveyor foot 30 of the pallet P. Possible transport hook groove 7
0, 70, 70 are each station S ₁ , S ₂ , S ₃ , S ₄
The holes are opened downward at equal intervals in the front-rear direction to match the mutual spacing of the
On the left side in the figure, three engaging members 71 are provided at equal intervals in the front-back direction, and each engaging member is a guide provided in a bridge shape with both ends fixed to the housing of the processing machine 2. It is engaged with the rail 68 so as to be movable back and forth. Further, on the upper surface of the transport bar 67, horizontal cylinders 69 are arranged in series, the length of which can be expanded and contracted to match the intervals of the stations S ₁ , S ₂ , S ₃ , and S ₄ , which are all spaced at equal intervals. One end of the piston rod 72 is fixed to the housing of the processing machine 2, and when the transport bar 68 moves back and forth due to the expansion and contraction of the horizontal cylinder, the transport hook 30 is engaged with the transport hook groove 70 of the transport bar. The structure is such that the packed pallet P is sequentially conveyed forward together with the work W.

The pallet return means 14 includes a deceleration motor 73, an intermediate transmission mechanism 74 such as a roller chain, and a return transmission mechanism 75. Return table 15, 15
It is disposed on the front side (on the right side in FIG. 2) along the fixed pallet pedestal 41 at the lowered position level of the pallet supply side elevating means 6.
The deceleration motor 73 is installed on the base 32 of the processing machine 2, while the return transmission mechanism 75 has a drive side sprocket 76, a driven side sprocket 78 having a tension adjuster 77, and a plurality of attachments engaged with both sprockets. It consists of an endless feed chain 80 with engaging pieces 79 attached at equal intervals, and the spindles 81 and 82 of each sprocket 76 and 78 are fixed to the housing of the processing machine 2 in the form of a bridge. The intermediate transmission mechanism 74 is pivotally supported at both ends of the beam 83, and is disposed on the front side of the beam 83, and is connected to intermediate sprockets 85 and 86 fixed to the support shaft 81 and the output shaft 84 of the deceleration motor 73. An endless intermediate chain 87 is engaged. 88, 89
is a guide sprocket.

The fixed pallet return table 15 has a relay function when returning the pallets P collected by the pallet collecting side lifting means 12 from the lifting means to the pallet supply side lifting means 6. There are appropriate intervals on the front and rear sides, and the pallet P is placed on the base 32 via a support (not shown), and the pallet P at the time of return travels straight through the guide grooves 26, 26. Frame 90,
It is equipped with horizontal axis rollers 91, 91... and vertical axis rollers 92, 92..., and its cross-sectional shape and center in the front-rear direction, and the level at which the pallet P is supported are defined as the fixed pallet holder of the pallet recovery side elevating means 12. The cross-sectional shape and longitudinal center of the platform 66 and the fixed pallet holder 41 of the pallet supply side elevating means 6 are formed to match the lowering position level, and the fixed pallet holder 41 with the lowering position level matched. The pallet return path 5 is formed by the platform 66, the fixed pallet return tables 15, 15, and the fixed pallet pedestal 41. The pallet return means 14 described above is equipped with conventionally known sensors, timers, etc., and is configured to be capable of intermittent operation in synchronization with the conveyance means 13.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained.

In FIG. 3, the fixed conveyance tables 8 and 10 are located at the raised position level, and the workpiece Wa is carried onto the fixed workpiece holder 4 on the carry-in side and positioned at a predetermined position of the carry-in station _S1 , and the workpiece Wa is carried by the carrying means 13. Bar 67 is in the retracted position.

Now, the pallet Pa supported by the pallet positioning pin 40 of the lifting table 31 which is at the lowered position level (dash line position) of the pallet supply side lifting means 6 is
When the raising position level (solid line position) is reached by the raising operation of the lifting means, the conveying hook 30 of the pallet Pa is engaged with the conveying foot groove 70a of the conveying bar 67, and then the pallet positioning pin 70 is lowered to lower the pallet. Pa is supported by a fixed pallet holder 41. At this time, the lower surface of the workpiece Wa is in a state of being lifted from the fixed workpiece pedestal 4 on the carry-in side.

Next, the transport bar 67 is advanced to position the workpiece Wa together with the pallet Pa on the fixed transport table 8 of the first processing station _S2 , and the workpiece Wa is processed by the first honing tool 16. At this time, the subsequent workpiece Wb is carried onto the fixed workpiece pedestal 41 on the carry-in side (see FIG. 4).

Next, the fixed conveyor table 8 is lowered to release the pallet.
After releasing the engagement between Pa and the conveyance bar 67, moving the conveyance bar 67 backward and engaging the subsequent pallet Pb in the conveyance hook groove 70a in the same manner as above,
The fixed conveyance table 8 is raised, the conveyance hook 30 of the pallet Pa is engaged with the conveyance hook groove 70b on the front side, and the conveyance bar 67 is advanced. work here
Wa is the second honing tool 17 and the workpiece
Wb is processed using the first honing tool 16. Next, the fixed conveyors 8 and 10 are lowered again to move the conveyor bar 67 to the retracted position (see FIG. 5),
After that, workpieces Wa, Wb,
Pallets Pa, Pb, Pc... on which Wc... are placed
... moves each transport hook 30 into the transport hook groove 7.
0a, 70b, and 70c and are sequentially sent forward. On the other hand, when the pallet Pa conveyed from the second processing station _S3 enters the fixed pallet holder 66 of the pallet recovery side lifting means 12, which is waiting at the raised position level, the pallet positioning pin 62 is raised. The pallet Pa is supported (indicated by the chain line in FIG. 5).

Next, when the pallet recovery side elevating means 12 descends, the pallet Pa is separated from the workpiece Wa and sent to the lowering position level, and the workpiece Wa is placed on the unloading side fixed workpiece pedestal 11, after which other processes are carried out. It will be transported to When the pallet Pa reaches the lowering position level, the pallet positioning pin 62 of the lifting table 55 is lowered to support the pallet Pa on the fixed pallet holder 66, and then the engaging piece 79 of the pallet return means 14 By engaging Pa with the return hook 28, the let Pa is returned to the fixed pallet pedestal 41 at the lowered position level of the pallet supply side elevating means 12 via the fixed pallet return tables 15, 15, and the following Each palette
Pb, Pc... are sequentially returned in the same manner as above.

(Effects of the invention) With the above-mentioned configuration, the present invention allows pallets to be simultaneously supplied to and assembled from the workpieces in one movement of the lifting means at the loading station, and is removed from the workpieces in one movement of the lifting means at the loading station. The separation and collection of pallets is performed at the same time, and the pallet return path is formed above and below the workpiece transport path, which not only significantly improves work efficiency but also makes effective use of equipment installation space. It has excellent effects such as hydration.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings illustrate an embodiment of the device of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a front view showing the main parts of the transfer device for machining, FIG. 2 is a side view showing a cross section taken along the line - in FIG. Figures 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams of main parts for explaining the operation. S ₁ ... Loading station, S ₂ ... First processing station, S ₃ ... Second processing station, S ₄ ...
Unloading station, P...Pallet, W...Work, 1...Transfer device, 4...Fixed work holder on the loading side, 6...Lifting means on the pallet supply side, 1
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Fixed workpiece pedestal on the unloading side, 12...Elevating means on the pallet collection side, 13...Transporting means, 14...Pallet return means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] The workpiece is transported through a loading station into which the workpiece is loaded, at least one processing station which processes the workpiece transported from the loading station, and an unloading station which receives and transports the workpiece processed at the processing station. A conveying means is provided for conveying the pallet along with the pallet, and a pallet return means is provided below the conveying means for returning the pallet separated from the workpiece from the unloading station to the loading station. A fixed workpiece pedestal on the carry-in side that is set lower than the transport height of the workpiece and supports the carried-in workpiece, and a lift table for supporting the pallet is raised and lowered below the fixed workpiece pedestal on the carry-in side to raise and lower the pallet. Lifting means for lifting the workpiece on the fixed workpiece pedestal on the carry-in side via the pallet to the height at which the workpiece is carried by the carrying means is provided, and the carrying-out station is provided with:
A fixed workpiece pedestal on the unloading side is set lower than the conveyance height of the workpiece by the conveying means and is capable of supporting the workpiece conveyed from the processing station, and a lifting platform for supporting the pallet is raised and lowered below the fixed workpiece pedestal on the unloading side. A transfer device for machining, characterized in that the lifting position of the lifting platform corresponds to the height of conveying the pallet from the conveying means, and lifting means is provided for lowering the pallet and separating the pallet from the workpiece. .