JPH0413248B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an apparatus for changing the posture of a cylindrical body, which changes the posture of a short cylindrical body from an upright position to a lying position and discharges the cylindrical body during a manufacturing or inspection process.

[Prior art]

For example, fuel pellets for light water reactors (hereinafter referred to as pellets) have an outer diameter of 9 mm to 13 mm and a total length of 5 mm.
It is a short cylindrical body of ~15 mm. This pellet is
After press-molding uranium dioxide powder, it is sintered at high temperature, the outer diameter of this sintered body is ground, and the outer peripheral side and both end faces are inspected for cracks, chips, etc., and then filled into a cladding tube. Used as fuel for nuclear reactors.

Conventionally, the appearance inspection of pellets was carried out using
This is done as disclosed in Publication No. 93238. That is, a container (hereinafter referred to as a tray) containing a large number of pellets arranged in a reclining manner on a corrugated bottom is manually carried to one side of a plurality of rotating rollers rotating in the same direction and placed adjacent to each other. A large number of pellets are transferred from this tray onto the plurality of rotating rollers, and while the pellets are rotated simultaneously in the same direction at a predetermined speed on the rotating rollers, the outer circumferential side of the pellets is inspected, and the pellets are manually inspected. They are picked out one by one with tweezers and both end faces are visually inspected, and defective products with cracks, chips, etc. are removed using tweezers.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the conventional appearance inspection of pellets, a tray is manually brought in and placed adjacent to one side of a plurality of rotating rollers as described above. It is not only time-consuming but also requires careful attention, resulting in poor work efficiency and easy worker fatigue.

Further, immediately after the side surface inspection of the pellets, the pellets are picked out one by one using tweezers, and both end surfaces are visually inspected, including inversion, which takes time.

Since the pellets that are constantly rotating are visually inspected, and the inspection sensations are different when inspecting the outer peripheral side surface and the end surface of the pellet, the inspection operator's eyes tend to get tired.

There were problems such as unevenness in inspection accuracy and difficulty in quality control during inspection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a posture changing device for a cylindrical body that eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks of conventional devices.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration. That is, an attitude change roller in which a notch is formed in a short cylinder with a notch whose boundary surfaces are two surfaces that are substantially parallel to the axial direction of the short cylinder and intersect with each other at an angle of 90 degrees or more; a rotational drive mechanism attached to reciprocate the attitude change roller; and an axis of the short cylinder located on one boundary surface side of the notch so as to open at the one boundary surface and the end face of the short cylinder. a cut groove formed parallel to the cut groove, and a cylindrical body mounting member removably fitted into the cut groove; The cylindrical body received above in an upright state is changed to a lying state and transferred onto the other boundary surface.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 8. Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 is a base, and a pair of bearings 2a and 2b are provided on the base 1 to face each other. A plurality of (six in this embodiment) drive rollers 3 are mounted on the bearings 2a and 2b at a predetermined interval.
is rotatably supported. As shown in FIG. 3, the drive roller 3 has a shaft 4, and is provided with an annular groove 5 and a pinion 6 at predetermined locations on its outer periphery.

On the other hand, a rack guide 7 is fixedly provided on the base 1. This rack guide 7 is located below the pinion 6 toward one of the bearings 2b, and has a rectangular groove 8 formed on its upper surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the drive roller 3. be. A rack 9 is slidably fitted into the groove 8. This rack 9 is connected to a piston rod 11 of a cylinder mechanism (hydraulic or pneumatic) 10 provided on the base 1, and is connected to the piston rod 11 of a cylinder mechanism (hydraulic or pneumatic) 10 provided on the base 1. It is said to be able to move freely in any direction. Pinion 6 for rack 9
are interlocked.

In addition, an attitude change roller 1 is provided between each drive roller 3.
2 is mounted on a drive roller 3. The posture change roller 12 is formed as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. That is, short cylinder 13
A notch 16 is provided on the short cylinder 13 with two surfaces parallel to the axial direction and intersecting each other at an obtuse angle as boundary surfaces 14 and 15. Further, the short cylinder 13 is formed with a push-up member passing groove 17 that is parallel to the end surface of the short cylinder 13 and reaches from one boundary surface 14 to the outer circumference of the short cylinder 13. The right side of the pushing-up member passing groove 17 in FIG. 4 of one boundary surface 14 is inclined downward to the right with respect to the axial direction of the short cylinder 13. Furthermore, a recess 18 is formed in one boundary surface 14, located above the push-up member passage groove 17 in FIGS. 4 and 5. Furthermore, a cut groove 19 is formed in the short cylinder 13 so as to be located on the other boundary surface 15 side and parallel to the axis of the short cylinder 13 . The side wall surface 19a of this cut groove 19 and the side wall surface 1 of the push-up member passing groove 17
The angle it makes with 7a is 90°. Cut groove 19
In FIG. 1, there is a plate-shaped walking beam (cylindrical body mounting member) 19b on which the cylindrical body 30 is mounted.
It is designed so that it can be inserted and removed. Also, short cylinder 1
A gear part 20 that meshes with the pinion 6 when the attitude change roller 12 is placed on the drive roller 3 is formed on the outer periphery of the drive roller 3. When the gear part 20 meshes with the pinion 6, the attitude change roller 12 is prevented from moving in its axial direction. A rotary drive mechanism is constituted by the cylinder mechanism 10, the rack 9, the drive roller 3, and the gear portion 20 of the posture change roller.

Furthermore, phototube devices (not shown) are provided on both sides of each posture change roller 12 to detect that the cylindrical body 30 is placed on the boundary surfaces 14 and 15. This photocell device is a control device (not shown)
electrically connected to.

On the other hand, in FIG. 2, a push-up member 21 is provided on the base 1 and positioned below the posture change roller 12 which is placed on the drive roller 3 and whose gear part 20 is meshed with the pinion 6. It is being This push-up member 21 has a push-up portion 22 shaped like a comb tooth plate. This push-up portion 22 is provided at a predetermined distance apart from each other so as to be located directly below each push-up member passing groove 17 positioned vertically. The push-up member passage groove 17 can be fitted into and removed from the push-up member passage groove 17 , and protrudes from one boundary surface 14 . The tip of the push-up portion 22 is inclined such that the gear portion 20 side thereof is lower. In addition, the push-up member 2
1 is connected to a piston rod 24 of a cylinder mechanism (hydraulic or pneumatic) 23 provided on the base 1,
The cylinder mechanism 23 is operated to move up and down.

Next, the operation of the cylindrical body posture changing device configured as described above will be explained.

First, a case will be described in which the cylindrical body 30 is received by the posture changing roller 12 in an upright state, and the cylindrical body 30 is changed to a lying state and then discharged. Note that a fuel pellet will be described as an example of the cylindrical body 30.

(1) First, place the cylindrical body 30 on the other boundary surface 15,
Place it as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. At this time, the cylindrical body 30 is placed on the upper surface of the plate-shaped walking beam 19b in an upright state, and the walking beam 19b is horizontally moved in the axial direction of the posture change roller 12 and inserted into the cut groove 19, and the walking beam 19b is lowered slightly and the cylindrical body 30 is placed on the other boundary surface 15.

(2) As mentioned above, the cylindrical body 3 is placed on the other boundary surface 15.
0 is placed, the phototube device detects that the cylindrical body 30 is placed on this boundary surface 15,
The detection signal is sent to the control device, which causes the cylinder mechanism 10 to contract and move the rack 9 a predetermined distance in the direction of arrow B in FIGS. 1 and 6. Then, the pinion 6 rotates in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 6, and accordingly, the attitude change roller 12 rotates 90 degrees in the direction of arrow E in the same figure and stops. Therefore, the cylindrical body 30 on the other boundary surface 15 is transferred onto one boundary surface 14 and forms the recess 18 as shown in FIG.
accepted within.

(3) When the cylindrical body 30 is transferred onto one boundary surface 14, the cylinder mechanism 23 is extended by the action of the control device, and the push-up member 21 is gently raised, passes through the annular groove 5, and passes through the push-up member. It fits into the groove 17 and further rises, pushing up the cylindrical body 30 as shown in FIG. Here, the tip of the push-up portion 22 is inclined and one boundary surface 14
Because of the inclination, the cylindrical body 30 moves from the push-up part 22 onto one boundary surface 14, rolls on this one boundary surface 14 due to its own weight, and moves out of the posture change roller 12 in a lying state. be discharged.

(4) Next, by the action of the control device, the push-up member 2
When a predetermined period of time has elapsed after 1 has been raised, the cylinder mechanism 23 is contracted, this push-up member 21 is lowered and returned to its original position, the cylinder mechanism 10 is extended, and the rack 9 is moved as shown in FIG. , the pinion 6 rotates in the direction of arrow D in the figure, and the attitude change roller 1 moves in the direction of arrow A.
2 rotates 90 degrees in the direction of arrow F in the figure and returns to its original position.

(5) Next, a case will be described in which the cylindrical body 30 is received in a lying state by the posture changing roller 12, and the cylindrical body 30 is discharged after changing its posture to an upright state. In this case, a plurality of cylindrical bodies 30 in a recumbent state are simultaneously adsorbed by a suction device (not shown) and transferred above one boundary surface 14 which is in a substantially horizontal state, and are further lowered to one boundary surface 14. 14 on the recess 18, and the adsorption of the columnar body 30 by the adsorption device is released. At this time, the cylinder mechanisms 10 and 23 are in a contracted state.

(6) Next, the cylinder mechanism 10 is operated to extend, and the posture change roller 12 is moved through the rack 9 and pinion 6.
is rotated 90 degrees in the opposite direction to the case (2) above, that is, in the direction of arrow F in FIG. 8, and then stopped. As a result, the cylindrical body 30 is transferred from above the recess 18 of one boundary surface 14 to the other boundary surface 15 in an upright state.

(7) Next, the cylindrical body 30 in the upright state on the other boundary surface 15 is suctioned by a suction device and transferred to the outside of the posture change roller 12.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the cylindrical body 30 received by the posture change roller 12 in an upright state changes its posture to a lying state, and
2, the cylindrical body 30 received in a lying state can automatically change its posture to an upright state and be discharged from the posture changing roller 12 without applying any vibration or shock. It is possible to inspect the end face or outer circumferential side of the cylindrical body in the step before receiving, and to inspect the outer circumferential side or end face of the cylindrical body after the cylindrical body is discharged from the posture change roller 12.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to changing the attitude of a fuel pellet has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a general cylindrical body.

Further, in the above embodiment, six posture change rollers 12 were provided, but the present invention is not limited to this.
Of course, it can be increased or decreased as appropriate.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a cut groove is formed parallel to the axis of the short cylinder so as to be located on one boundary surface side and open to the one boundary surface and the end face of the short cylinder. , and a cylindrical body mounting member that is removably fitted into the cut groove, the cylindrical body is placed in an upright state on the upper surface of this cylindrical body mounting member,
By moving the cylindrical body mounting member in the axial direction of the short cylinder and inserting it into the notch groove, and slightly lowering the cylindrical body mounting member, the cylindrical body is placed in the notch on the side where the notch groove is open. It can be easily placed on the boundary surface. Therefore, the cylindrical body is automatically and intermittently placed on the cylindrical body mounting member by a generally well-known cylindrical body feeding means such as a parts feeder, and the cylindrical body mounting member is automatically inserted into the cut groove. If a lowering means is taken, it becomes possible to automatically place the cylindrical body on the boundary surface of either one of the short cylinders.

The present invention also includes an attitude change roller in which a notch is formed in a short cylinder with a notch whose boundary surfaces are two faces that are substantially parallel to the axial direction of the short cylinder and intersect with each other at an angle of 90° or more; Since a rotational drive mechanism is provided to reciprocate the attitude change roller, the cylindrical body received by the attitude change roller in an upright state can be automatically changed to a lying state, and furthermore, vibrations and shocks can be applied to the cylindrical body. This allows the external appearance inspection of the cylindrical body to be divided into three inspection tasks: (1) inspection of both end faces in an upright position and inspection of the outer peripheral side surface in a lying position; This simplifies the inspection work, and allows inspection of the end face and outer peripheral side surface to be performed as part of the assembly process in a series of processes. Since the loading and unloading work can be omitted, labor can be saved and inspection efficiency can be significantly improved. (3) Automation of the cylindrical body posture changing device of the present invention. Not only that, but it is also possible to automate the equipment used before and after this process to automatically link with the equipment of the present invention, and when the cylinder is a fuel pellet, there is no need to touch it manually. (4) The present invention is not only applicable to changing the attitude of fuel pellets, but also to general cylindrical cylinders. It can also be applied to the body as a device that does not apply vibrations or shocks, and its structure is simple, so it is very effective in use.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a partially cutaway front view, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the drive roller, FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views showing the relationship between the attitude change roller and the push-up member, and FIG. 6 is the attitude. FIGS. 7 and 8 are front views showing the rotational drive mechanism of the changing roller, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are front views showing the relationship between the attitude changing roller, the rotational driving mechanism, and the push-up member. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Base, 2a, 2b... Bearing, 6... Pinion, 9... Rack, 10, 23... Cylinder mechanism, 12... Attitude change roller, 13... Short cylinder,
14, 15... Boundary surface, 16... Notch, 17...
...Pushing member passing groove, 19... Cut groove, 19b...
...Walking beam (cylindrical body mounting member), 20
... Gear part, 21 ... Push-up member, 22 ... Push-up part, 30 ... Cylindrical body.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An attitude change roller in which a notch is formed in a short cylinder with a notch having two boundary surfaces that are substantially parallel to the axial direction of the short cylinder and intersect with each other at an angle of 90 degrees or more; a rotational drive mechanism attached to reciprocate the conversion roller; and a rotational drive mechanism located on one boundary surface side of the notch and connected to the axis of the short cylinder so as to open at the one boundary surface and the end face of the short cylinder. It consists of cut grooves formed in parallel and a cylindrical body mounting member that is removably fitted into the cut grooves, and the posture changing roller is rotated by 90 degrees to place it on one of the boundary surfaces. A posture changing device for a cylindrical body, characterized in that the received cylindrical body in an upright state is transformed into a lying state and transferred onto the other boundary surface.