JPH054292B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention provides a method for changing the posture of a short cylindrical body to a lying position when received in an upright position and to an upright position when received in a lying position during a manufacturing or inspection process. This invention relates to a posture changing device for a cylindrical body that is ejected.

[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.

However, in conventional visual inspection of pellets like this, immediately after inspecting the side surface of the pellets, the pellets are picked out one by one using tweezers.
Inspection time is required because both end faces are visually inspected, including reversal.

Since the constantly rotating pellets are visually inspected, and because the inspection sensations are different between inspecting the outer circumferential side of the pellet and inspecting the end surface, the eyes of the inspection operator tend to get tired.

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

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and automatically changes the posture of a cylindrical body received in a lying state to an upright state, and a cylindrical body received in an upright state to a lying state. This makes it possible to shorten the inspection time when inspecting the outer peripheral side surface and end surface of a cylindrical body, and prevent eye fatigue of the inspection worker. An object of the present invention is to provide a posture changing device for a cylindrical body that can facilitate inspection quality control.

[Structure of the invention]

In order to achieve such an object, in the present invention, a notch is formed in a short cylinder, the boundary being 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. Both of them include an attitude changing roller in which a push-up member passing groove is formed that is parallel to the end face and reaches the outer periphery from one boundary surface, and a cylinder received on one boundary surface by reciprocating the attitude changing roller. a rotary drive mechanism for changing the posture of the body from an upright position to a lying position and from a lying position to an upright position and transferring the body onto the other boundary surface; a push-up member that is inserted into the push-up member passage groove to push up the cylindrical body received on the one boundary surface; and a vertical movement mechanism that inserts and removes the push-up member into and from the push-up member passage groove. It is characterized by consisting of.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 8. Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 2 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
A plate-shaped walking beam 19b on which the cylindrical body 30 is placed is fitted into and removed from the plate. Further, a gear portion 20 is formed on the outer periphery of the short cylinder 13, and the gear portion 20 meshes with the pinion 6 when the posture change roller 12 is placed on the drive roller 3. The attitude changing 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, a push-up member 21 is provided on the base 1 so as to be located below the posture change roller 12 which is placed on the drive roller 3 and whose gear portion 20 is meshed with the pinion 6. 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. Push-up member passage groove 17
It is configured to be able to be fitted in and removed freely and protrude 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. The push-up member 21 is connected to a piston rod 24 of a cylinder mechanism (hydraulic or pneumatic) 23 provided on the base 1, and is moved up and down by the operation of the cylinder mechanism 23.

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, one of two methods is used. One method is to place the cylindrical body 30 in an upright state on the upper surface of a plate-shaped walking beam 19b, move the walking beam 19b horizontally in the axial direction of the posture change roller 12, and insert it into the cut groove 19. The walking beam 19b is lowered slightly to move the cylindrical body 30 to the other boundary surface 15.
Place it on top.

Another method is to simultaneously suck a plurality of cylindrical bodies 30 using a suction device (not shown) and transfer them above the other boundary surface 15 of the posture change roller 12, and then lower the cylindrical bodies 30 together with the suction device. The cylindrical bodies 30 are placed on the other boundary surface 15 , and the adsorption of the cylindrical bodies 30 by the suction device is released, thereby placing the plurality of cylindrical bodies 30 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, because the tip of the push-up part 22 is inclined and one boundary surface 14 is inclined, the cylindrical body 30 moves from above the push-up part 22 to above one boundary surface 14, and this one side It rolls on the boundary surface 14 due to its own weight and is discharged to the outside of the posture change roller 12 in a lying state.

(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 and transferred above one boundary surface 14 which is in a substantially horizontal state, and are further lowered to form a recess 18 in one boundary surface 14. The cylindrical body 30 is placed on top 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, five 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 cylindrical body received in a lying state is automatically brought into an upright state, and a cylindrical body received in an upright state is automatically brought into a lying state, and the cylindrical bodies are automatically brought into a recumbent state. It is possible to change the position and transfer without giving a shock.
As a result, the appearance inspection of a cylindrical body can 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, which simplifies the inspection work. This makes it possible to inspect the end face and outer peripheral side surface as part of the assembly process in a series of processes, thereby eliminating the need for inspection workers to carry the cylindrical body into and out of the inspection equipment. Therefore, it is possible to save labor and significantly improve inspection efficiency. (3) By performing the three inspection tasks of both end face inspection and outer peripheral side inspection separately, eye fatigue of inspection workers is reduced. (4) Not only can the cylindrical body posture changing device of the present invention be automated, but also the devices that are the pre- and post-processes can be It is now possible to automate and automatically link with the device of the present invention, and if the cylindrical body is a fuel pellet, there is no need to touch it with human hands, so the effect of radiation on people can be reduced compared to before. (5) The present invention is not limited to applying only to changing the attitude of fuel pellets, but also applies to general cylindrical bodies without giving vibrations or shocks. Since it can be applied as a device and its structure is simple, it is very effective in its use.

When the posture is changed from the standing state to the lying state, a part of the peripheral wall of the cylindrical body fits into the push-up member passage groove, and the posture is also changed from the lying state to the standing short cylindrical state. In this case, since the cylindrical body is prevented from rolling until it reaches the upright state by fitting with the push-up member passage groove, unnecessary movement is restrained when changing the posture in any direction. This ensures that the change in posture is carried out reliably.

Also, after being placed in a recumbent state,
By pushing up the cylindrical body with the push-up member, the cylindrical body is ejected from the attitude change roller by its own weight. From this point of view, the process from attitude change to ejection can be made into a continuous flow, which is useful for automation. Application can be facilitated.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

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, 20...Gear portion, 21...
Push-up member, 22...Push-up portion.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A notch is formed in a short cylinder, with the boundary surfaces being 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, and a notch that is parallel to the end face and has one boundary surface. By reciprocally rotating the posture changing roller in which a push-up member passage groove reaching the outer circumference is formed, the cylindrical body received on one boundary surface can be turned into a lying state when it is in an upright state. and a rotary drive mechanism for changing the position of the body from a lying position to an upright position and transferring the body onto the other boundary surface; The posture of the cylindrical body is characterized by comprising a push-up member that pushes up the cylindrical body received on the one boundary surface, and a vertical movement mechanism that inserts and removes the push-up member into the push-up member passing groove. Conversion device.