JPH0353963Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field This invention relates to a high-speed step conveyance device used in automobile body assembly lines and the like.

Prior Art In a conventional high-speed step-by-step conveyance device, a chain pusher engages with a transport cart, moves the cart forward by one station, and after the cart stops, only the chain moves backward, and the next transport cart is moved forward again in the same manner as above. This is a reciprocating type of motion. However, such chain-driven conveyance devices transmit motor power to the trolley via the reducer and the chain.
The drawbacks are that mechanical loss and chain noise are large, and the structure is complex.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The purpose of the present invention is to provide a conveying device having a group of separably connected guided self-propelled conveying carts, which eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional chain reciprocating type conveying device. be.

Means to Solve the Problems This proposal consists of a plurality of self-propelled transport carts equipped with couplers that are connected by collision and disconnected by vertical or lateral movement, and both ends of the outbound and return paths of the transport carts. On the outbound journey, a group of transport trolleys in which a plurality of transport trolleys are connected moves one step at a time, and the transport trolley at the front is uncoupled by the movement of the lifter or traverser and continues on the return journey. It is characterized in that it runs in the opposite direction, returns to the starting point of its outward journey, and connects to the rear of the transport truck group by self-propelling.

Function There are two types of connection structures for transport vehicles: one in which the transport vehicle is moved vertically to uncouple it, and the other in which it is moved horizontally to the side to uncouple it; in the former case, both ends of the outgoing and return journeys are It suffices to connect one transport cart with a lifter that raises and lowers it, and in the latter case, it suffices to connect it with a traverser as well. In either case, the transport vehicle group moves forward by the connecting pitch and then stops until the foremost transport vehicle is transferred to the lifter or the Taraversa. Then, when the lifter or traverser descends or moves to the side, the transport cart above it is disconnected from the group of transport carts and moved to a position that coincides with the return route, where the cargo is unloaded and becomes an empty cart. After that, the empty truck travels on its own return trip, transfers onto the lifter or traverser at the starting end, and stops at the position.

Next, the lifter or traverser at the starting end moves to the same position as the outbound route, but at this time, the empty truck is positioned and stopped at a position slightly behind the transport truck group, and at this position the cargo is loaded. Afterwards, it propelled forward slightly, colliding with a group of transport trucks and connecting with them. In this way, each time the group of transport vehicles advances by a connecting pitch, the load is unloaded from the transport vehicle at the front end, and a cyclical operation is performed in which the group returns from the return route to the starting point of the outward route.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which both ends of an outbound route 2 and a return route 3 on which a transport cart 1 is guided and self-propelled are connected by lifters 4a and 4b. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the transportation cart 1 has a main body 5, a running roller 7 running on a rail 6, an anti-floating roller 8 in contact with the lower surface of the rail 6, and an inner surface of the rail 6. The vehicle body M is positioned and loaded onto a support frame 10 fixed on a truck body 5, and has a vertical axis guide roller 9. Reference numeral 11 denotes a stator of a linear induction motor, which applies thrust to a movable element 12 fixed to the lower surface of the truck body 5.

Both ends of the support frame 10 protrude from the body M, and a pair of hook metal fittings 15 are pivotally supported by pins 14 on a hinge metal fitting 13 provided at the front protruding portion, and the hook metal fittings 15 have an inward slope 16 at the tip. 17, and a hook metal fitting 15 with a compression spring 18.
are brought into contact with a stopper 19 attached to the hinge fitting 13 and biased so as to be in a substantially parallel position. The rear protruding part has a wedge-shaped head 20 that pushes open the slope 16,
When the tip touches the stopper 19, the hook 17
A connecting rod 22 having a lower neck portion 21 that is engaged with the connecting rod 22 is integrally provided in a protruding manner.

The connector 23 having the above structure has a structure in which the hook 17 and the lower neck part 21 connect the transport cart 1 with a predetermined pitch in the horizontal direction, but are easily disconnected from each other in the vertical direction.

On the outward route 2, the transport carts 1 are connected to each other to form a transport cart group 1A, and the transport carts 1 are moved together one by one to perform assembly work on, for example, a car. Lifter 4
a and 4b are well-known pantograph type lifters;
It has a rail 6a connected to the rail 6 at the top.
At the end of the outgoing path 2, a pair of slat conveyors 25 that support the wheels of the automobile are installed between the outgoing path 2 and the return path 3.
is installed, the leading transport trolley 1 is transferred onto the lifter 4a in the raised position, and then the lifter 4a is lowered, the leading transport trolley 1 loses continuity with the following transport trolley and descends, causing the car to crash while descending. The body is transferred onto the slat conveyor 25 and transported forward. 26 is a drive chain of the slat conveyor 25, and 27 is a driven sprocket.

When the lifter 4a reaches the lowered position, the transport cart 1
is self-propelled along the return path 3 by a linear induction motor, transferred onto the lifter 4b at the end thereof, and is stopped at the position. When the lifter 4b rises to the height of the outward path 2, the automobile body M carried in by the ceiling conveyor 28
is once transferred onto the lifter 30 having the guide post 29, and then further transferred onto the lifter 4b which is in the raised position as the lifter 30 is lowered. At this time, the rail 6a on the lifter 4b and the rail 6 on the outward path 2 are connected, but the transport trolley 1 on the lifter 4b is slightly separated from the rear of the transport trolley group 1A, and the linear motor stator on the lifter 4b When the transport vehicle 1 starts, it connects with the transport vehicle group 1A. Next, when the transport vehicle group 1A moves forward, the rear transport vehicle is transferred onto the rail 6, and the lifter 4b becomes able to descend.

As described above, the transport carts 1 are connected to each other on the work line, forming the transport cart group 1A, and move forward one connected pitch at a time. Easy to interlock with equipment.

When connecting both ends of outward route 2 and return route 3 with a traverser, change the direction of the coupler 90 degrees and connect the transport trolley 1.
What is necessary is to disengage the connection when the vehicle is moved in the horizontal direction, and instead of the slat conveyor 25, a slat conveyor that moves up and down may be used to lift and carry out the automobile on the transport trolley.

Note that the present invention can also be applied to an overhead type transport vehicle.

Effects of the invention The present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, and since it is sufficient to control the movement of a group of transport vehicles in which multiple transport vehicles are connected on the work line, the control device only needs to be for one transport vehicle, making it extremely simple and reliable. In addition to being expensive, it has the effect of making it easier to interlock with other equipment for starting and stopping, and on the return trip, the transport trolley runs independently, reducing the number of transport trolleys, significantly reducing the overall number of transport trolleys. There are benefits to be gained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 1 is an overall elevational view, Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line A-A in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the transport vehicle, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 1. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the coupler, FIG. 6 is an elevational view, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line B--B in FIG. 1. 1... Transport trolley, 1A... Transport trolley group, 2...
Outward trip, 3...Return trip, 4a, 4b...lifter.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] It has a plurality of self-propelled transport carts equipped with couplers that are connected by collision and disconnected by vertical or lateral movement, and a lifter or traverser that connects both ends of the forward and return paths of the transport carts, respectively. However, on the outward journey, a group of transport vehicles, each consisting of multiple transport vehicles, moves one step at a time, and the transport vehicle at the front is uncoupled by the movement of the lifter or traverser, and runs in the opposite direction on the return journey, returning to the starting point of the outward journey. A transport device having a group of self-propelled transport carts that are separably connected and connected to the rear of the group of transport carts by running.