JPH0337905Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Field of Use The present invention relates to a tool drop prevention device for a tool change robot that prevents the tool from falling off the arm of the tool change robot when the tool is replaced.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Among industrial robots, there is a tool change robot that allows a single robot to perform a variety of tasks by freely selecting a tool to be attached to the tip of an arm. As shown in FIG. 4, this tool change robot A is equipped with a tool fixing pin C slidable by an actuator at the tip of an arm B. Then, when attaching the desired tool D to the tip of arm B,
After fitting the tip of arm B to tool D held on tool stand E, tool fixing pin C
The tool D is fixed to the tip of the arm B by sliding it toward the insertion side by the actuator and inserting the tool fixing pin C into the tool D. Also, when removing tool D, which is already fixed to the tip of arm B, from arm B,
After placing the tool D on the tool stand E by moving the arm B, the actuator slides the tool fixing pin C toward the exit side, causing the tool fixing pin C to exit from the tool D. This separates the tool D from the tip of the arm B.

By the way, the operation of inserting and withdrawing the tool fixing pin C into the tool D by the actuator is as follows:
This is done by the operator operating the operating lever or operating button of the manual switch to the insertion side or the withdrawal side. For this reason, when the tool change robot is performing a predetermined operation with the tool D fixed to the arm B by the tool fixing pin C, the operator accidentally moves the manual switch from the insertion side to the exit side. When operated, the tool fixing pin C moves out of the tool D, causing the tool D to fall off the arm B during work. For this reason, tool stand E has
A limit switch 1 that is turned on only when the tool D is placed on the tool stand E is incorporated. When the tool D is placed on the tool stand E and the limit switch 1 is not ON, even if the manual switch is operated to the exit side, the actuator will not operate and the tool fixing pin C will not move the tool D. By preventing you from leaving the
This prevents the tool D from falling off due to erroneous operation during work.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention As mentioned above, if the limit switch 1 is provided on the tool stand E, even if the operator accidentally operates the operation switch to the exit side while the tool change robot A is working, the tool will be fixed. The pin C can be prevented from leaving the tool D. However, in the above method, when the operator accidentally operates the manual switch to the exit side and returns the tool D to the arm stand E in order to change the tool,
As shown in Fig. 5, the limit switch 1 is activated before the tool D is securely seated on the tool stand E.
Turn on. Then, since the manual switch is already on the exit side, the actuator operates at the same time as limit switch 1 is turned ON, and the tool fixing pin C exits from tool D, so the tool D is not seated securely on tool stand E. Tool D
will separate from arm B. As a result, the tool D is held in an inclined state on the tool stand E, which may impede subsequent tool change operations or, in extreme cases, cause the tool D to fall off the tool stand E.

Measures to solve the problem In order to detachably attach the tool to the arm of the tool change robot's tool fall prevention device, an actuator and an actuator are used to slide the tool fixing pin installed on the arm toward the insertion side or the exit side. , only when the tool is set on a tool stand for holding tools and the tool is located on the tool stand.
A limit switch that is turned on, a manual switch that instructs the tool fixing pin to be inserted into or removed from the tool by operating the operating lever or button to the insertion side or the exit side, and signals from the limit switch and manual switch. The tool fixing pin is removed by the actuator only when the manual switch is operated from the insertion side to the removal side while the limit switch is in the ON state. It is designed to be slid to the side.

Function As described above, only when the manual switch is operated from the insertion side to the withdrawal side while the limit switch is in the ON state, the manual switch is activated by sliding the tool fixing pin toward the withdrawal side using the actuator. This prevents the tool fixing pin from sliding toward the exit side even if the limit switch is turned on in a malfunctioning state.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a tool fall prevention device according to the present invention, which is installed in the tool change robot A described above. In the figure, 1 is a limit switch that is set on the tool stand E and turns ON only when the tool D is placed on the tool stand E, and 2 is a limit switch that is turned on when the operator moves the operating lever or button to the insertion side or the exit side. This is a manual switch for instructing the insertion and withdrawal of the tool fixing pin C into and out of the tool D by operating it. 3 is a control device for controlling an actuator 4, which will be described later, in response to signals from the limit switch 1 and manual switch 2; 4 is a control device for sliding the tool fixing pin C toward the insertion side and the withdrawal side in response to control signals from the control device 3; It is an actuator for The control device 3 causes the actuator 4 to slide the tool fixing pin C toward the withdrawal side only when the manual switch 2 is operated from the insertion side to the withdrawal side while the limit switch 1 is ON. There is.

In the above configuration, when the tool change robot A equipped with the tool drop prevention device according to the present invention changes the tool and returns the tool D attached to the tip of the arm B to the tool stand E, the manual switch 2 is inserted. When set to the side,
As shown in the time chart of FIG. 2, first the limit switch 1 is turned on and the tool D is seated on the tool stand E. Next, when the operator confirms that the tool D is correctly seated on the tool stand E, the operator operates the manual switch 2 from the insertion side to the withdrawal side. Then, the control device 3 drives the actuator 4 in conjunction with this operation and slides the tool fixing pin C toward the exit side, so that the tool D is separated from the arm B on the tool stand E.

Also, when tool D is returned to tool stand E,
When the manual switch 2 is set to the exit side due to an operator's malfunction, the manual switch 2 is already on the exit side when the limit switch 1 is turned on, as shown in the time chart of FIG. However, since the control device 3 is configured to cause the actuator 4 to slide the tool fixing pin C toward the withdrawal side only when the manual switch 2 is operated from the insertion side to the withdrawal side, the limit switch 1 is
When turned ON, the tool fixing pin C does not move. . After this, the worker noticed a malfunction,
Once the manual switch 2 is returned to the insertion side and after confirming that the tool D is seated correctly on the tool stand E, the manual switch 2 is operated from the insertion side to the withdrawal side. At this point, the control device 3 is activated for the first time. The actuator 4 is driven, the tool fixing pin C is slid toward the exit side, and the tool D is separated from the arm B.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the tool drop prevention device according to the present invention prevents the tool from falling by the actuator only when the limit switch set on the tool stand is in the ON state and the manual switch is operated from the insertion side to the exit side. Since the fixing pin is made to slide toward the exit side, even if the operator accidentally operates the manual switch to the exit side and returns the tool to the tool stand to perform a tool change, the limit switch will not turn ON. At the same time, the tool fixing pin can be prevented from sliding toward the exit side, and the tool can be reliably prevented from falling off the tool stand during tool change due to malfunction of the manual switch.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a tool drop prevention device for a tool change robot according to the present invention;
Figures 2 and 3 are time charts showing the operation timing of the manual switch, limit switch, and tool fixing pin during tool change, and Figures 4 and 5 are drawings showing the arm tip of the tool change robot. . A...Tool change robot, B...Arm, C...Tool fixing pin, D...Tool, E
...Tool stand, 1...Limit switch,
2... Manual switch, 3... Control device, 4... Actuator.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In order to detachably attach a tool to the arm, an actuator is installed to slide the tool fixing pin installed on the arm toward the insertion side or withdrawal side, and a tool stand is used to hold the tool.The tool is positioned on the tool stand. only when
A limit switch that is turned on, a manual switch that instructs the tool fixing pin to be inserted into or removed from the tool by operating the operating lever or button to the insertion side or the exit side, and signals from the limit switch and manual switch. and a control device for controlling the actuator,
A tool change robot characterized in that the tool fixing pin is slid toward the withdrawal side by an actuator only when the manual switch is operated from the insertion side to the withdrawal side while the limit switch is in the ON state. Tool fall prevention device.