JPH0412876Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a body transfer device in a vehicle assembly line.

(Prior art) On a vehicle assembly line, while the painted body is being carried out on an overhead conveyor, parts near the bottom of the body are mainly assembled. Interior parts, etc. are assembled while being transported on a conveyor.

In this way, in order to transport bodies sequentially from an overhead conveyor with hangers to a floor conveyor, it is necessary to transfer the bodies from the overhead conveyor to the floor conveyor. As shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 55-24019, this was accomplished by making the hanger of the overhead conveyor an openable/closable type. That is, in order to transfer a body on an overhead conveyor onto a floor conveyor, the hanger of the overhead conveyor is lowered and changed from a closed state to an open state near the lowest position.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, in the case of a conventional system in which the body is transferred using an open/close type overhead conveyor, it is difficult to accurately transfer the body to the floor conveyor at a predetermined position. This has been a problem in automating the assembly of parts on the floor conveyor using robots or the like.

To explain this point in detail, when transferring the body from the overhead conveyor to the floor conveyor, due to the impact caused by the slight vertical drop,
Alternatively, the body's contact position with respect to the floor conveyor may shift in the conveyance direction, and furthermore, the body may move after contact with the ground due to the effect of inertia in the conveyance direction, causing the body to be accurately positioned at a predetermined position with respect to the floor conveyor. It was becoming difficult to transfer. Particularly, when the product is transferred to a floor conveyor via tires assembled during transport on an overhead conveyor, positional deviation in the transport direction is particularly likely to occur.

In order to avoid the above-mentioned problems, it is being considered to use a lifter to transfer bodies from an overhead conveyor to a floor conveyor. In this case, the lifter receives the body while lifting it from the hanger of the overhead conveyor and transfers it directly to the floor conveyor, so it is more efficient than the conventional method in terms of transferring the body to a predetermined position on the floor conveyor. The accuracy will be much better. When transferring a body using such a lifter, how to support the body in a well-balanced manner is a major issue in practical implementation.
That is, since the body is supported by the hanger at the front and rear ends of the side sill, it is difficult to support the front and rear ends of the side sill at two additional locations by the lifter due to the balance. In addition, current vehicle assembly lines generally have a mixed flow line in which multiple types of bodies flow together, so the problem is how to support the bodies in a well-balanced manner in response to the differences in vehicle types.

This invention was developed taking the above circumstances into consideration, and is based on the premise that a lifter is used to transfer bodies from an overhead conveyor to a floor conveyor. To provide a body transfer device in a vehicle assembly line that can always perform well-balanced operations while dealing with differences.

(Means and actions for solving the problems) In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a body transfer device in a vehicle assembly line for transferring a body from a hanger of an overhead conveyor to a floor conveyor, comprising an arm base that is driven up and down between the overhead conveyor and the floor conveyor; a side sill receiving part provided on the arm base so as to be movable in the vehicle width direction of the body and for supporting the side sill of the body; The vehicle body is configured to include a side frame receiving portion which is displaceable in a direction corresponding to the vehicle type and supports a side frame of the body.

With this configuration, the body supported by the hanger of the overhead conveyor,
It will be transferred to the floor conveyor while being supported in a well-balanced manner by both the side sill and side frame.

In particular, since the side frame receiving portion that supports the side frame is also movable in the conveying direction of the body, the body can always be supported in a well-balanced manner to accommodate a wide variety of vehicle types.

(Embodiments) Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

Overall overview In Figure 1, 1 is the first floor conveyor, 2
3 is an overhead conveyor having a hanger, and 3 is a second floor conveyor. The body that has undergone the painting process is transported as it is by the first floor conveyor 1, which is a transport means during the painting process, and then transferred to the overhead using the first transfer lifter L1, which will be described later, at the first transfer station S1. The body is transferred to the conveyor 2, and while being transported by the overhead conveyor 2, items such as undercarriage parts, which are more convenient to assemble if the body is located at a higher position, are successively installed. A positioning station S2 and a second transfer station S3 are constructed in order from the upstream side to the downstream side at the end of the overhead conveyor 2 where the assembly of parts is completed. This positioning station S2
In the vehicle, a body that has been displaced to some extent during transportation on the overhead conveyor 2 is positioned in the transportation direction and the vehicle width direction using a positioning table P, which will be described later. Then, the body that has been positioned at the positioning station S2 is transferred to the second floor conveyor 3 at the second transfer station S3 using a second transfer lifter L2, which will be described later. floor conveyor 3
While the vehicle is being transported, interior products such as seats and external products such as bumpers are sequentially installed. In the embodiment, the tires are attached during transportation on the second floor conveyor 3.

Floor conveyors 1 and 3 (first and second) Both the first and second floor conveyors 1 and 3 have the same configuration, and the details will be explained below based on FIGS. 2 and 3. . First, a base 11 is laid down on the floor F along the conveyance path, and a pair of left and right guide frames 12 are fixedly provided on the base 11, respectively, along the conveyance path. . A large number of rollers 13 are rotatably held on each of the left and right guide frames 12 at small intervals in the conveyance direction, and a cart 14 is placed on the rollers 13 . The carriage 14 is prevented from displacing in the width direction by guide rails 15 provided on the base 11, and can freely run along a predetermined conveyance path while sliding on the rollers 13.

The above-mentioned truck 14 includes a conventionally known shuttle bar 16
At the stroke end of the intermittent feed, a positioning pin 17 operated by a drive source such as a cylinder (not shown) is engaged, and the positioning pin 17 is precisely positioned without being able to be displaced in the transport direction. be done. Such a cart 14 has a total of four supports 1 extending upward from each of its four corners.
8 are provided in a protruding manner, and the upper end portion of each support column 18 serves as a body receiving portion 18a. In the embodiment, this body receiving portion 18a is designed to support the front and rear end portions of the left and right side sills of the body B (the first
(See figure 0).

Overhead Conveyor 2 As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the overhead conveyor 2 is provided with a large number of hangers 21 spaced apart in the conveying direction, as in the conventional art. This hanger 21
is suspended from a guide rail 22 installed at a high place so as to be able to run freely, and via a chain 23 (see FIG. 4) arranged along this guide rail 22,
It is designed to be intermittently fed at predetermined pitches by a motor or the like (not shown). The hanger 21 is of a non-opening/closing type in which an arm portion having a body receiving portion 21a that supports the body B is not driven in any way. Note that this body receiving portion 21a
In this embodiment, each of the left and right side sills of the body B is supported at the front and rear thereof at a position that does not interfere with the receiving portion 18a of the truck 14 (see FIG. 10).

Configuration of lifters L1 and L2 The lifters L1 and L2 in both transfer stations S1 and S3 have the same configuration except for their installation locations and operating order, so the first transfer lifter L1
Focusing on this, this will be explained based on FIGS. 2 and 4 to 6. First, the transfer lifter L1 is located at the end portion of the first floor conveyor 1 and at a location where the overhead conveyor 2 is located vertically above the first floor conveyor 1, at the left and right outer portions of both conveyors 1 and 2. It has a pair of left and right guide posts 31 erected. These left and right guide posts 31
An arm base 32 is fitted to each of the arms so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, and each of the arm bases 32 is driven up and down by a suitable drive source such as a motor or a hydraulic cylinder via a chain or the like (not shown). It is becoming more and more like this.

Each of the left and right arm bases 32 holds an arm 33 that is extendable and retractable toward the arm base 32 on the other side. That is, arm 3
3 is telescopically fitted into an arm guide portion 32a provided integrally on the arm base 32,
According to the expansion and contraction of the hydraulic cylinder 34, the amount of protrusion from the arm guide portion 32a, that is, the forward and backward position toward the body B from the vehicle width direction is changed.

A front support 35 is provided at the tip of the arm 33 to protrude upward on the front side in the transport direction of the body B, and the upper end of the front support 35 is connected to the body receiving portion 35a.
It is said that Further, a rod 36 is telescopically fitted into the tip portion 12 of the arm 33 on the rear side of the body B in the conveyance direction.
Retained. At the tip of this rod 36, that is, at the end extending rearward in the conveyance direction, there is a rear strut 37.
are integrally formed, and the upper end of the rear strut 37 serves as a body receiving portion 37a. Rod 36 like this
A rack 36a is formed at the base end of the arm 3.
A gear 38 meshed with the rack 36a through an opening 33a formed at the upper end of the motor 39
It is designed to rotate forward and backward. As a result, the rod 36 is rotated, for example, in the normal direction by the motor 39.
is extended (displacement of the body receiving part 37a to the rear side in the transport direction), and the rod 36 is contracted by the reverse rotation of the motor 39 (displacement of the body receiving part 37a to the front side in the transport direction). The body receiving part 35a provided on the front post 35 supports the side sill of the body B, and the body receiving part 37a provided on the rear post 37 supports the side frame (rear side frame in the embodiment) of the body B. As shown in FIG.
The relative positions of 5a and 37a in the vehicle width direction are set (see FIG. 10).

On the other hand, the second transfer lifter L2 has the same configuration as the first transfer lifter L1, but a second transfer lifter L2 is located at the end portion of the overhead conveyor 2 and vertically downward.
It is installed where the floor conveyor is located.

Effect of the first transfer lifter L1 In FIG. 2, the body B that has been painted while being transported by the first floor conveyor 1 is transported as it is by the first floor conveyor 1 (the trolley 14 thereof) and is transferred to the first transfer. When the arm 33 of the first transfer lifter L1 reaches the station S1, the arm 33 of the first transfer lifter L1 is at the lowest position and the backward position (the hydraulic cylinder 34 is retracted).
In addition to preventing interference between the arm 33 and the arm 33, the body receiving portions 35a and 37a are located at a lower position than the body receiving portion 18a of the truck 14. Furthermore, while the body B on the trolley 14 is at the first transfer station S1, the hanger 21 of the overhead conveyor 2 is on standby in front of the first transfer station S1 (as shown by the solid line in Figure 2). (located at hanger 21). The operation will be explained in order based on the above-mentioned premise.

By extending the hydraulic cylinder 34, the arm 33 is extended, and both body receiving parts 35a,
37a, along with its supports 35 and 36,
4 (see arrow X in Figure 3).

After this, the arm base 32, that is, the arm 33
is raised (see arrow
body B contacts a predetermined position, that is, the side sill and side frame, and as it further rises, the body B
is separated from the carriage 14 and is fully supported by the arm 33. The arm 33 supporting this body B further rises and the body receiving part 35a,
37a is the highest position higher than the body receiving portion 21a of the hanger 21.

With the arm 33 in the highest position, the hanger 21 of the overhead conveyor 2, which has been waiting, advances to the first transfer station S1. At this time, the arm 33 at the highest position
Since the height of the body B is slightly higher than the position where the body B is supported by the hanger 21, the body receiving part 21a of the hanger 21 can be smoothly carried directly below the body B supported by the arm 33 without any obstruction. Ru.

The arm 33 is lowered, and during this lowering, the body B is attached to the body receiving part 35 of the arm 33.
a, 37a, and is transferred to the body receiving portion 21a of the hanger 21 at the first transfer station S1. The hanger 21 on which the body B has been transferred is then carried out from the first transfer station S1. In addition, the arm 33 that is being lowered is retracted during its descent or when it reaches the lowest position to prepare for the next transfer. If it is completed midway, the body B can be transferred to the first transfer station S1 before the arm 33 descends to the lowest position. In addition, the body receiving portion 37a
By adjusting the position in the conveyance direction, it is possible to support the body B in a well-balanced manner in cooperation with the body receiving part 35a, corresponding to different vehicle types.

Operation of the second transfer lifter L2 The operation of the second transfer lifter L2 itself is performed in substantially the reverse order of the operation of the first transfer lifter L1, so it will be briefly explained below. , as follows.

Carry-in of the trolley 14 on the second floor conveyor 3 to the second transfer station S3 with the arm 33 in the lowest position and in the retreat position.

Second transfer station S of hanger 21 supporting body B on overhead conveyor 2
Transport to 3.

The body B is received by the arm 33 (lifting of the body B) by raising the arm 33, which has been set to the forward position, toward the highest position, and the hanger 21 is subsequently carried out from the second transfer station S3.

The second transfer station S as the arm 33 supporting the body B descends toward the lowest position.
Transferring body B onto trolley 14 in step 3.

While retracting the arm 33, the carriage 14 on which the body B has been transferred is carried out, and the carriage 14 is carried in in preparation for the next transfer.

When being transferred to the second floor conveyor 3, the body B is supported in a well-balanced manner by the side sill receiving portions 35a and the side frame receiving portions 37a. In other words, in order to support the body B in a well-balanced manner, the support position not only in the vehicle width direction but also in the transport direction is important, but from the viewpoint of the support position by the hanger 21, it is necessary to If the side sills were used, it would be impossible to support body B in a well-balanced manner. However, it is possible to eliminate the above-mentioned restrictions and support body B in a well-balanced manner by supporting some parts on side frames without supporting all parts on side sills. It becomes possible to support it at almost the same position as the body receiving part 21a. In addition, in response to differences in vehicle types, the forward and backward positions of both receiving portions 35a and 37a in the vehicle width direction can of course be adjusted, and in particular, the side frame receiving portion 37a
By adjusting the displacement in the conveying direction, it becomes possible to support the body B with an optimal balance depending on the vehicle type (the supporting position of the side sill receiving part 35a is the same as that of the body receiving part 21a of the hanger 21). (The side frame receiving portion 37a is subject to greater restrictions than the side frame receiving portion 37a).

Configuration of Positioning Table P As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the positioning table P includes an elevating table 42, a movable rail 43 positioned on the elevating table 42, and a movable rail 43.
and a movable table 44 positioned above. The elevating table 42 is supported with respect to the floor F via a pantoclaf-type support formed by rotatably connecting intermediate portions of two left and right support links 45 and 46 with a pin 47. That is,
Each upper end of each support link 45, 46 has a pin 48
Alternatively, the support link 45 is rotatably connected to the lifting table 42 by a pin 50, and the other support link 46 is rotatably connected to the floor F by a pin 50. It is slidably abutted against the floor surface F via 51. A hydraulic cylinder 52 is installed between the floor surface F and the lifting table 42.
As a result, a four-bar parallel link is formed by the floor surface F, the lifting table 42 and the pair of support links 45 and 46, and the lifting table 42 is moved up and down in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the hydraulic cylinder 52.

The movable rail 43 is moved via rollers 53,
The movable table 44 is movable along the transport direction of the body B with respect to the lifting table 42.
is freely displaceable in the vehicle width direction of the body B with respect to the movable rail 43 via the roller 54.
In order to move the movable rail 43 to a desired displacement position, a pair of sprockets 5 held on the lifting table 42 are spaced apart in the transport direction of the body B.
A chain 57 is wound between the sprockets 5 and 56, and one sprocket 56 is rotated in forward and reverse directions by a motor 58 provided on the lifting table 42. The chain 57 also includes a movable rail 4.
The sprocket 59 held by the chain 57 is engaged with the sprocket 59 held by the chain 57 in response to forward or reverse rotation of the motor 58, that is, the movable rail 4.
3 is displaced toward the front side or the rear side in the conveyance direction.

At the four corners of the movable table 44,
A total of four body receiving parts 60 are formed at positions that do not interfere with the body receiving part 21a of the hanger 21 (for example, the body receiving part 18a or 35
a, position corresponding to 37a). Further, on the lifting table 42, a pair of pressing arms 61 are mounted on pins 6 at respective positions on the left and right sides in the vehicle width direction and spaced apart in the transport direction.
2, and the tip of each pressing arm serves as a body pressing portion 61a. The pair of pressing arms 61 spaced apart in the transport direction are connected via a connecting rod 63, and the pressing arms
1 is pivoted between a retracted position and an advanced position in the vehicle width direction.

In the embodiment, the positioning station S2
Whether or not the body B is at a predetermined position in the transport direction is detected using an optical sensor 65 including an issuing section 65a and a light receiving section 65b.

Function of the positioning table P When the body B held by the hanger 21 comes to a position above the positioning station S2, that is, the positioning table P and stops, the hydraulic cylinder 52 extends,
The movable table 44 (body receiving portion 60 thereof) contacts the body B on the hanger 21 from below (for example, contacts the side frame of the body B), and the body B
float above hanger 21. In this state, when the cylinder 64 is extended, the pressing arm 61 (body pressing portion 61a) presses the body B from both sides in the left and right direction, positioning the body B in the vehicle width direction (the vehicle width of the movable table 44 directional displacement). Further, the motor 58 is rotated forward or reversely so that the tip position of the body B is at a predetermined position by using an optical sensor 65 that detects the shape of the tip of the body B, thereby positioning the body B in the transport direction. (displacement of the movable table 44 in the transport direction).
After this positioning in the vehicle width direction and transport direction,
By retracting the hydraulic cylinder 52, the positioned body B is held again by the stopped hanger 21.

Overall operation: First, the body B on the truck 14 is transferred to the first transfer station S1 by the truck 14, which is intermittently fed by the first floor conveyor 1 at predetermined pitches.
will be transported to. Then, using the first transfer lifter L1, the body B of (on the trolley 14 of) the first floor conveyor 1 is transferred to the hanger 21 carried into the first transfer station S1.
Transferred to 1.

After being transferred to the hanger 21, the body B is transported to a positioning station S2 while being intermittently fed at predetermined pitches, and positional deviations in the vehicle width direction and transport direction are corrected here. Thereafter, immediately after being carried out from the positioning station S2, it is carried into the second transfer station S3, and transferred to (on the cart 14 of) the second floor conveyor 3 by the second transfer lifter L2. During this transfer, body B
is precisely positioned in advance with respect to the hanger 21 by the positioning station S2, while the second transfer lifter L2 hangs the body B in this positioned state and moves it to the cart of the second floor conveyor 3. Since the body B is simply transferred onto the second floor conveyor 3, the body B is positioned even more precisely with respect to the cart 14 of the second floor conveyor 3.

Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and includes, for example, the following cases.

The body B to be transported to the first transfer station S1 may be positioned, that is, the body B may be positioned relative to the trolley 14. In this case, slightly ahead of the first transfer station S1 of the first floor conveyor 1 in the conveyance direction,
A positioning station equipped with a positioning table as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 is separately provided below the floor F, and after positioning with respect to the trolley 14 using this separately provided positioning station, the first transfer is performed again. It is also possible to return to the station S1 and transfer to the overhead conveyor 2.

Cart 14, especially car 1 of the second floor conveyor 3
4, the body B after being transferred is placed on the trolley 14.
A locking means may be provided to prevent movement.

Both the first and second floor conveyors 1 and 3,
A type that does not have the trolley 14 may also be used.

The arms 33 of the lifters L1 and L2 may be separately configured for the front body receiving portion 35a and the rear body receiving portion 37a, and may be freely moved back and forth in the vehicle width direction. In this case, the body B can be supported in a well-balanced manner to accommodate a wide variety of vehicle types.

Side sill receiving portion 35 of second transfer lifter L2
a supports the rear end side of the side sill in the transport direction in the body B, while the side frame receiving part 3
The front side frame of body B may be supported by 7a.

The hanger 21 may be of an opening/closing type,
In this case, the body B can be transferred from the floor conveyor 1 to the overhead conveyor 2 in the same manner as before. Also, Hanger 21
If it is an open/close type, the second transfer station S3
The operational relationship between the hanger 21 and the second transfer lifter L2 is that after the second transfer lifter L2 lifts the body B on the hanger 21, the hanger 21
The lifter L2 may be lowered in an open state.

The first transfer lifter L1 and the positioning table P may not be included.

(Effects of the invention) As is clear from the above, the invention has the following effects:
When a lifter is used to transfer a body from an overhead conveyor to a floor conveyor, the support of the body by the lifter can always be carried out in a well-balanced manner in accordance with the vehicle type.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a simplified plan view showing the entire body conveyance device for a vehicle assembly line according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view showing details of the first transfer station. FIG. 3 is a partially sectional front view of the floor conveyor seen from a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. FIG. 4 is a front view of the details of the transfer station seen from the transport direction. FIG. 5 is a partially sectional plan view showing the arm portion of the lifter. FIG. 6 is a partially sectional view of the left side of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a side view showing details of the positioning station. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing details of the positioning station. FIG. 9 is a front view of the positioning station viewed from the transport direction. FIG. 10 is a simplified plan view showing each support portion for the body. S3...Transfer station, B...Body, L
2... Transfer lifter, 2... Overhead conveyor, 3... (second) floor conveyor, 13... Roller, 14... Dolly, 15... Guide rail, 1
8a...Body receiving part, 21...Hanger, 21a...
...Body receiving part, 22... Guide rail, 31...
Guide post, 32... Arm base, 33... Arm, 34... Hydraulic cylinder, 35a... Body receiving part (for side sill), 37a... Body receiving part (for side frame).

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A body transfer device in a vehicle assembly line for transferring a floor conveyor head body from a hanger of an overhead conveyor, which is driven up and down between the overhead conveyor and the floor conveyor. an arm base provided on the arm base so as to be movable in the vehicle width direction of the body, and a side sill receiving portion for supporting a side sill of the body; a side frame receiving part for supporting a side frame of the body, which is provided so as to be freely movable in the transportation direction of the body in accordance with the vehicle type;
A body transfer device in a vehicle assembly line, characterized by comprising: