JPH0333700Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Purpose of the Invention] (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a conveying device that supports and conveys an object by floating it.

(Prior art) Generally, roller conveyors are often used to transport heavy objects such as containers, but in the case of large heavy objects such as large containers, excessive strength and large driving force are required. It takes.

In addition, conventionally, air tables and the like have been used that levitate and support the conveyed object using air, but in this case, the movement of the conveyed object is done by a pusher or the like.
Not suitable for long distance travel.

Therefore, as described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 50-3033 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 52-21579, for example, an air outlet is provided in the center of the conveyance path to float and support the conveyed object on the surface of the conveyance path. A structure is known in which an object is moved by a drive device including a drive chain or a drive belt.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) As mentioned above, when transporting heavy objects, there are problems in terms of equipment, etc.

In addition, in the structure described in each of the above-mentioned publications, since the drive device is driven at a fixed position with respect to the conveyance path, the floating distance for floating and supporting the conveyed object changes and the uneven shape of the lower surface of the conveyed object changes. In addition, it is not possible to respond to the need for automatic conveyance using a drive device to active conveyance without using a drive device, and furthermore, high precision is required for forming the top surface of the conveyance path. There is a problem.

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is capable of smoothly transporting heavy objects, responding to fluctuations in floating distance and changes in the shape of the lower surface of the transported object, and responding to the need for manual transport. It is an object of the present invention to provide a conveyance device that does not require particularly high precision in shaping the upper surface of a conveyance path.

[Structure of the idea]

(Means for Solving the Problems) The conveyance device of the present invention includes a conveyance path, a large number of air blowing bodies that are sequentially arranged in parallel along both sides of the upper surface of the conveyance path to levitate and support the conveyed object, and A drive having a plurality of drive rollers in the conveying direction of the conveyed object, which are provided between the air blowing bodies on both sides of the path so as to be movable up and down with respect to the air blowing body, and which move the conveyed object in contact with the lower surface of the conveyed object. It is equipped with a device.

(Function) The conveyance device of the present invention blows out air from the air blowing bodies on both sides of the upper surface of the conveyance path to levitate and support the conveyed object, and at the same time lifts the drive device and directs each of its drive rollers to the lower surface of the conveyed object. The rollers are brought into contact with each other and the respective drive rollers are driven to automatically transport the object on the transport path. At this time, each drive roller of the drive device is raised in accordance with the floating distance of each air blowing body and the lower surface of the object to be conveyed, and brought into contact and engagement with the lower surface of the object to be conveyed. In addition, when the drive device is lowered and its drive rollers are lowered below each air blowing body, air is blown from the air blowing bodies on both sides of the upper surface of the conveyance path to levitate and support the conveyed object. The conveyed object is manually conveyed on the conveyance path by manually pushing the conveyed object in the conveying direction.

(Embodiment) Hereinafter, the structure of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a frame, and a conveyance path 2 is formed in the upper part of this frame 1.
A large number of independent air blowing bodies 3 are sequentially arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals along both sides of the upper surface in the width direction in the length direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, each air blowing body 3 is
A disk-shaped diaphragm 5 is mounted on the top surface of the circular base 4.
A plurality of air outlets 6 are formed in the diaphragm 5, and the diaphragm 5 is fixed to the base 4 at its periphery and center.
An air supply port 7 communicating therein is formed, and an air supply source 8 such as an air compressor is connected to this air supply port 7. Then, when air at a predetermined pressure is supplied from the air supply source 8 into the diaphragm 5 through the air supply port 7, the diaphragm 5 is expanded around the base 4 by the air pressure, and the air is forced upward from the air outlet 6. is blown out, a thin air film is formed between the diaphragm 5 and the bottom surface of the transported object located above the diaphragm 5, and the transported object is floated and supported by this air film.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a detector 9 made of a phototube or the like is disposed between each of the air blowing bodies 3 on the one side. Each of the air blowing bodies 3 is not operated at all times, but when an object to be conveyed is detected by the detector 9, the air blowing bodies 3 in front of or in the vicinity are activated to blow out air. There is. In addition,
A bumper 10 is provided at the carry-in end of the conveyance path 2.

Further, a driving device 11 is provided on the upper surface of the frame 1 in the length direction between the air blowing bodies 3 on both sides.
is arranged to be able to move up and down. This drive device 1
1, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a driving roller 13 and a guide roller 14 are rotatably mounted on an elongated frame 12 at predetermined intervals alternately. An air motor 15 is provided at the bottom of one end of the frame 12, and the drive rollers 13 are connected to the air motor 15 via a transmission mechanism 16 consisting of a sprocket, chain, etc., and each drive roller 13 is driven by the air motor 15. It's becoming like that. Furthermore, the frame 12
Air cylinders 17 are attached to the lower portions of both ends, and these air cylinders 17 move the frame 12, a drive roller 13, and a guide roller 14 up and down relative to each of the air blowing bodies 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the conveyance path 2 provided with the air blowing bodies 3 on both sides and the drive device 11 are arranged in directions perpendicular to each other when viewed from the top, and a turntable 21 is rotatably located at the orthogonal part. A ring-shaped friction plate 22 is provided on the upper surface of the turntable 21.

Also, a stopper device 25 is provided on an extension line sandwiching the turntable 21 of each orthogonal driving device 11.
is provided. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, this stopper device 25 includes an air cylinder 27 attached to the lower part of a frame 26, and a support 29 pivotally attached to the upper end of a piston rod 28 of this air cylinder 27. A guide roller 31 is mounted on the stand 29 via a support stand 30, and the guide roller 31 faces the window 33 in the upper plate 32 of the frame 26. Further, a guide rod 34 passes through the frame 26 and the support 29, and shock absorbers 35 made of rubber or the like are attached to the upper and lower ends of the guide rod 34. In addition, the frame 2
One end of an arm 37 is rotatably attached to one end of the arm 37 by a support shaft 36, and the support 29 is connected to the middle of the arm 37, and a pair of operating rods 38 are attached to the tip of the arm 37. It is installed protrudingly. Further, a guide frame 39 is attached to the other end side of the upper plate 32 of the frame 26, a plate-shaped stopper 40 is fitted to this guide frame 39 so as to be able to move vertically, and a guide rod 41 is attached to the center of the lower end of this stopper 40. A coil spring 43 is stretched between a spring receiving plate 42 provided on the guide rod 41 and the lower side of the frame 26, and the stopper 40 is always biased upward. An actuating piece 44, which the actuating rod 38 of the arm 37 abuts from above, is protrudingly provided at the lower end of the guide rod 41, and a buffer member 45 made of rubber or the like is provided at the lower end of the guide rod 41.
is installed.

When the air cylinder 27 is actuated to raise the piston rod 28, the guide roller 31 is raised together with the pedestal 30 via the pedestal 29, and the guide roller 31 is projected upward from the window 33 of the upper plate 32. Further, as the guide roller 31 rises, the arm 37 connected to the pedestal 29 is rotated upward about the support shaft 36, and when the pressure on the actuation piece 44 by the actuation rod 38 is released, the stopper 40 is moved by the coil spring. 43. At this time, the stopper 40 is raised by a sufficient height enlarged by the arm 37 relative to the raised height of the guide roller 31. When the air cylinder 27 is lowered from this state, the guide roller 31 is lowered and the operating rod 3 of the arm 37 is lowered.
8 pushes down the operating piece 44 of the guide rod 41 in the stopper 40, and the stopper 40 is lowered.

Next, the overall operation will be explained.

When a pallet 51 carrying a heavy object such as a container is carried into one end of one of the transport paths 2, the detector 9 detects this and activates the air blower 3 in the area where the pallet 51 is located, so that the pallet 51 The pallet 51 is slightly floated by blowing air against the lower surface of the pallet 51. Next, the drive device 11 in the conveyance path 2
is raised by an air cylinder 17, and each drive roller 13 and each guide roller 14 are moved to the pallet 5.
1, and the pallet 51 is conveyed forward by driving each drive roller 13. As the pallet 51 advances, the air blowing bodies 3 in the forward direction of the pallet are sequentially operated to blow out air, and the pallet 51 is automatically conveyed while floating the pallet 51.

Then, the front end of the pallet 51 passes over the turntable 21 and hits the stopper 40 from above the guide roller 31 of the front stopper device 25, and the conveyance of the pallet 51 is stopped.

Next, the drive device 11 that transported the pallet 51
is lowered by the air cylinder 17, and the guide roller 31 and stopper 40 in the stopper device 25 on the extension line thereof are also lowered, and at the same time, the turntable 21 is raised and the friction plate 22 on the upper surface is moved to the lower surface of the pallet 51. At the same time, the turntable 21 is rotated 90 degrees to change the direction of the pallet 51. And in this state,
The drive device 11 of the other conveyance path 2 in the direction that intersects the previous conveyance path 2 rises, and the pallet 51 is moved up in the same way as before.
The pallet 51 is conveyed forward by each drive roller 13 while floating, and is stopped when it hits the bumper 10 at the end of the conveyance path 2. Next, drive device 1
1 is lowered by an air cylinder 17, and each drive roller 13 and each guide roller 14 are lowered below each air blower 3, and air is blown from each air blower 3 on both sides of the upper surface of the conveyance path 2. The pallet 51 is supported by floating and is manually transported on the transport path 2 by manually pushing the pallet 51 in the transport direction.

[Effect of idea]

According to the present invention, a drive device having a plurality of drive rollers is provided vertically movably in the conveyance direction of the conveyed object between a large number of air blowing bodies arranged in parallel along both sides of the conveyance path. By raising this drive device, each drive roller can reliably respond to changes in the floating distance of the conveyed object and changes in the shape of the lower surface of the conveyed object, and each drive roller can move the conveyed object. Smooth automatic conveyance is possible, and each drive roller makes it easy to convey heavy objects, and if necessary, the drive device can be lowered to set each drive roller below each air blower. This makes it possible to easily manually convey the conveyed object by manual operation without using each drive roller.Furthermore, since a large number of air blowing bodies are sequentially arranged in parallel along both sides of the upper surface of the conveyance path, this Air skates can be easily formed using a large number of air blowing bodies, and there is no need for particularly high precision in shaping the upper surface of the conveyance path. The quantity to be used can be selected and set arbitrarily.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the air blowing body shown in FIG. 1, and FIG.
The figure is a partially cutaway plan view of the drive device shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 3, FIG. It is a diagram. 2... Conveyance path, 3... Air blowing body, 11... Drive device, 13... Drive roller.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A conveying path, a number of air blowing bodies that are sequentially arranged in parallel along both sides of the upper surface of this conveying path and supporting the conveyed object by floating, and between the air blowing bodies on both sides of the conveying path. A drive device having a plurality of drive rollers in the conveying direction of the conveyed object, which are provided to be movable up and down with respect to the air blowing body and move the conveyed object in contact with the lower surface of the conveyed object. Conveyance device for