JPH05285803A - Work transfer system with bar code - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a work transfer system for work with a barcode, which can simplify equipment and shorten cycle time. [Structure] When a work robot W is carried from a carry-in stage 1 to a processing stage 6 or an NG product stage 7 by one carrying robot 8, and a bar code 9 of a work W is read by a bar code reader 3. The work W is directly read while being held by the robot 8.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bar-coded work transfer system for transferring a bar-coded work with a bar code between stages via a bar code reader.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one method for managing the actual work,
A barcode as an information medium is attached to a work. The information contained in the bar code is read by a bar code reader. Conventionally, as a system for conveying such a work with a bar code through the bar code reader, there is, for example, one shown in FIG. That is, in this carrying system, the bar code-attached work W that has arrived at the carry-in stage 1 is first carried by the first robot 2 to the bar code reading stage 4 in front of the bar code reader 3, and here the bar code reader 3 carries the bar code. After the code is read, the second robot 5 transfers the code to the processing stage 6 if the bar code reading is OK or to the NG product storage 7 if the bar code reading is NG.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional transfer system, when the work W is transferred from the loading stage 1 to the processing stage 6, the loading stage 1 moves to the bar code reading stage 4. Transport is first
The robot 2 requires two separate robots 2 and 5 to transfer from the barcode reading stage 4 to the processing stage 6 or the NG product storage space 7 by the second robot 5, so that the equipment is complicated and the cost is high. Also takes. Moreover, since the bar code reading stage 4 is provided and the work W is once placed there to perform the bar code reading work, there is a problem that the cycle time becomes longer accordingly.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a conveyance system for a work with a bar code, which can simplify the equipment and shorten the cycle time. To do.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve the above object, the present invention is directed to a bar code reading means arranged between stages for reading a bar code attached to a work, and gripping the work to front the bar code reading means. Work gripping and conveying means for conveying the work from a stage to a bar code reading position and conveying the work to a predetermined post stage after the bar code reading by the bar code reading means is completed.

[0006]

In the present invention thus constructed, the work gripping and conveying means first grips the work from the front stage and conveys it to the bar code reading position. At this time, the work remains held. When the work is transported to the barcode reading position, the barcode reading means
The bar code attached to the work is read while the work is being held. When the barcode reading operation by the barcode reading means is completed, the workpiece gripping and conveying means conveys the workpiece to a predetermined post stage according to the result of the barcode reading.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a conveyance system for a work with a barcode according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a peripheral portion of a barcode reader of the same embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a diagram of the same embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows operation of a robot. 1 and 2, the same parts as those in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals.

This transport system, as shown in FIG.
Loading stage 1 which is a stage before the work W is loaded
A bar code reader 3 as bar code reading means for reading the bar code 9 attached to the work W;
The processing stage 6 which is a post-stage for actually processing the workpiece, the workpiece W with the bar code reading NG removed from the line, and the NG product storage area 7 which is a post-stage for temporarily placing the workpiece W on the carry-in stage 1 are gripped. And a transfer robot 8 as a work gripping transfer means for transferring the work to the processing stage 6 or the NG product storage 7.

The bar code reader 3 is arranged between the carry-in stage 1 and the processing stage 6 (and the NG product storage 7), and in front of the bar code reader 3, the work W grasped by the robot 8 is provided. The bar code reading position 10 is set to read the bar code 9. As shown in FIG. 2, the barcode reader 3 is fixed on the support base 11.

The transfer robot 8 is, as shown in FIG.
It has an openable / closable hand 12 for actually gripping the work W. The operation of the robot 8 is executed according to a program taught in advance. At that time, the robot 8 is taught so as to be stopped, for example, for 2 seconds at the barcode reading position 10 while the work W is being conveyed. The bar code reading position 10 is, as shown in FIG. 2, the front surface of the bar code reader 3 and the work W.
The distance L from the barcode 9 is set to, for example, about 25 ± 5 mm. As described above, the work W is stopped at the bar code reading position 10 for 2 seconds in order to complete the reading of the bar code 9 by the bar code reader 3. However, in the present embodiment, the bar code reading operation is further performed. In the case of NG, the work is carried out up to three times including the first, and if the bar code reading is not OK, it is judged that the bar code reading is NG and the work is conveyed to the NG product storage area 7.

Next, the operation of the transfer system thus configured will be described based on the operation flowchart of the transfer robot 8 shown in FIG. First, when the system is activated, the robot 8 executes a series of initialization operations. That is, the moving speed is set, the step operation is stopped, the counter for counting the number of bar code reading operations described later is reset, and the robot stands by at the original position (step 1).

Next, the robot 8 follows the predetermined path and moves the hand 12 to a predetermined work carry-in position set in the sky above the carry-in stage 1 (step 2). It is determined whether or not has arrived (step 3). If no work arrival signal is input as a result of this determination, the process stands by as it is.

On the other hand, if the work arrival signal is input as the determination in step 3, the robot 8 executes a series of work holding operations. That is, the hand 12 is opened and lowered to the position where the work W exists, the hand 12 is closed and the work W is gripped, and then the hand 12 is raised again to return the hand 12 to the work carry-in position (step 4). After that, while holding the work W, the hand 12 is moved to a predetermined barcode reader position set in front of the barcode reader 3 and temporarily stopped there (step 5).

After step 5, robot 8 performs a series of bar code reading operations. That is, set the counter to 1
After incrementing only, the hand 12 is moved from the bar code reader position to the bar code reading position 10 and stopped there for 2 seconds. At this time, as described above, the distance L between the front surface of the bar code reader 3 and the bar code 9 of the work W held by the hand 12 is 25 ± 5 mm (see FIG. 2), and the bar code reader 3 is in between. The barcode 9 is read by. After 2 seconds, the hand 12 returns to the bar code reader position (step 6).

After step 6, the robot 8 reads the bar code N based on the signal from the bar code reader 3.
It is judged whether or not it is G (step 7). If there is no bar code reading NG signal as a result of this judgment,
When it is determined that the barcode reading is OK, the workpiece W currently gripped is conveyed to the processing stage 6 along a predetermined route,
Here, the work W is lowered onto the machining stage 6 and returned to the original position of the robot again (step 8).

On the other hand, if the bar code reading NG signal is input as a result of the judgment in step 7, it is subsequently judged whether or not the number of bar code reading operations is three or more (step 9). ). If the result of this determination is that the number of barcode reading operations has not reached three times, the process returns to step 6 and the barcode reading operation is executed again, but if the number of barcode reading operations has reached three times, the barcode reading operation is performed. When it is determined that the code has been read NG, the work W is conveyed to the NG product storage 7 and placed there, and then the work W is returned to the original position of the robot (step 10).

As described above, according to this embodiment, the number of transport robots used is reduced from the conventional two to one, and the barcode 9 of the work W is read by the barcode reader 3. Since the conventional bar code reading stage 4 is abolished and the work W is directly read while being held by the hand 12, the equipment can be simplified and the cycle time can be shortened.

Further, in the present embodiment, the hand 12 is stopped at the bar code reading position 10 for 2 seconds, and the bar code reading operation is repeated up to three times in the case of bar code reading NG. The reliable reading becomes possible, and the actual management of the work can be performed effectively.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, the equipment can be simplified and the cycle time can be shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a work system with a barcode-attached work according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a peripheral portion of the barcode reader of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the robot of the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional work system for conveying a work with a barcode.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Carry-in stage (front stage) 3 ... Bar code reader (bar code reading means) 6 ... Processing stage (rear stage) 7 ... NG product storage (rear stage) 8 ... Transfer robot (work gripping transfer means) 9 ... Bar Code 10 ... Barcode reading position W ... Work with barcode

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Masahiko Mitsuba 2 Takara-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (72) Takashi Yoshizawa 2 Takara-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shinji Watanabe 2 Takaracho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kazuhiro Watanabe 2 Takaracho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (72) Yoshio Yokoyama, Kanagawa 2 Takara-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Niigata Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takenobu Nakamura 2 Takara-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (72) Kisei Ojima Takara-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi Kanagawa No. 2 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toshiharu Ichiyanagi Yokohama, Kanagawa Kanagawa-ku, Takaracho Address 2 Nissan Automobile Co., Ltd. in the (72) inventor Itsuhiko Sugiyama Kanagawa Prefecture, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi Takaracho Address 2 Nissan-car Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Bar code reading means arranged between stages for reading a bar code attached to a work, and gripping the work and transporting the work from a previous stage to a bar code reading position, the bar code reading means. And a work gripping and conveying means for conveying the work to a predetermined post-stage after the completion of reading the bar code by the work conveying system with a bar code.