JPH0550366A - Conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] Even when a plurality of transport groups are mixed for transport control, the transporters of different transport groups are not transported to the work station in the wrong order. To provide a transfer device that does not cause the above trouble. [Structure] When the first carrier 36 in a carrier group having a certain input unit number is transferred and the input unit number to which the device belongs belongs is written in the transfer permission number column of the station table (S140), it is transferred later. Coming carrier 36
It is determined whether or not the transport permission number corresponding to the next destination station number is the same as the loading unit number to which the transport body 36 belongs (S200). Then, conveyance is instructed only to the carrier 36 having the same loading unit number (S160), and when the carrier permission numbers are not the same as the loading unit numbers to which the carrier 36 belongs, the carrier 36 is temporarily held (S210).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a carrier for carrying a carrier from a work station which has completed work in accordance with a carrier sequence preset according to a unique carrier number attached to the carrier to the next work station. Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a garment factory or the like, various carrier devices have been proposed for automatically carrying a carrier holding a work-in-process material such as a product to be sewn to a work station arranged along a carrier rail. ing.

For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 2-126 filed by the present applicant
As shown in No. 691, the transport order is stored for each transport number of each transport body, and the transport body number attached to the transported transport body is read for each work station. Then, in the transport order corresponding to the transport body number, the next work station of the work station is designated as the destination of the transport body of the transport body number, and the work control unit finishes the work and then the next work station. It has been proposed that a station conveys a carrier.

By storing the transport order for each transport body number of each transport body, it is possible to mix transporters having different transport orders and to cope with small lot production of a wide variety of products. Is. For example, a plurality of conveyors holding work cloths and the like on which the same work is carried can be put together into one lot, and a plurality of lots can be simultaneously put into the conveyor to cope with small lot production of various kinds. It is possible to do so.

[0005]

However, as in the case of the above-mentioned lot, there is a case in which a plurality of carrier groups composed of the carriers having the same work contents at the work station are mixed and the carrier control is performed. In some cases, the order of the carriers conveyed to the work station is not fixed.

For example, it is assumed that both the first work station and the second work station can be transported to the third work station. From the second work station to the second work station while the plurality of carriers in the first transfer group are sequentially transferred from the first work station to the third work station.
When the transport bodies of the transport group are transported to the third work station, the first work is performed at the third work station.
The carriers within the carrier group and the carriers within the second carrier group coexist.

Then, for example, when sewing, it is necessary to use the white thread for the first transport group and the red thread for the second transport group, the transport bodies of the first transport group are sequentially transferred to the third work station. While the white thread is used during the transportation, as described above, when the transport body of the second transport group is transported on the way, the sewing machine such as the sewing machine also responds to the red thread. Need to be replaced.

Then, the work using the red yarn is performed on the carriers of the second transport group, and when the remaining transport members of the first transport group are subsequently transported to the third work station, the white yarn is again used. Must be replaced again. As described above, since the transport bodies of different transport groups are transported to the work station in the wrong order, there is a problem that the work efficiency is reduced. Further, there is a possibility that a worker may not notice it and may perform a sewing operation on a workpiece to be sewn, which should use a white thread, with a red thread, resulting in a defective product.

Therefore, the present invention has an object to solve the above-mentioned problems, and even when carrying control is carried out by mixing a plurality of carrying groups as in the case of high-mix low-volume production, the carriers of different carrying groups are carried out. It is an object of the present invention to provide a transfer device that does not transfer to the work station in the wrong order, improves work efficiency, and does not cause work trouble.

[0010]

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention has the following constitution as a means for solving the problem. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a plurality of work stations are provided along a transport rail for transporting a transport body,
A transport mechanism capable of transporting the transport body to each of the work stations in accordance with the transport order in which the work is performed, and a number reading for reading a unique transport body number attached to the transport body, which is provided corresponding to each of the work stations. And a transfer control unit that controls the transfer mechanism to transfer the transfer member from the work station that has finished the work to the next work station in accordance with the transfer order preset according to the transfer member number. In a carrying device having the same group, since the first carrier in a carrier group composed of the carrier having substantially the same work content in each work station is carried to the work station for each work station. Storage means for storing a group number unique to the transport group as a transport permission number until the last transport body in the If the group number that does not belong to the transporter that has completed the work at a certain work station is stored as the transport permission number at the next scheduled work station, the transport after the work is completed. That is, the configuration of the transporting device is characterized in that it is provided with a suspending instruction means for instructing the transport control means to temporarily suspend the transport to the body.

[0011]

In the transporting apparatus of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the number reading means reads the unique transporting body number given to the transported transporting body for each work station. Then, the storage means, for each work station, within the same group after the first carrier in the carrier group composed of carriers having substantially the same work contents in the work station is carried to the work station. The group number unique to the transport group is stored as the transport permission number until the last transport body of is transported.

When the group number to which the carrier that has finished the work at a certain work station does not belong is stored as the carry permission number at the next work destination of the carrier, the hold instruction means Then, the transfer control means is instructed to temporarily hold the transfer for the transfer body which has completed the work. The transport control means controls the transport mechanism to transport the transport body from the work station that has completed the work to the next work station in accordance with the transport order preset according to the transport body number.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the distribution mechanism 1 is installed in a garment factory or the like with a space therebetween, and each distribution mechanism 1 is provided with a column 3 standing upright on a floor surface 2. .. The support shaft 4 is erected on the upper end of the support column 3 via a mounting base 5, and a support plate 6 is fixed to the upper end thereof.

The station rail support frame 7a is supported and fixed to the upper surface of the support plate 6 at an intermediate portion thereof. The pair of parallel bridge rail support frames 7b are supported and fixed by straddling between the support plates 6 of the adjacent distribution mechanisms 1. On the other hand, a work station ST is provided around the distribution mechanism 1.
Is arranged, and the station rail support frame 7a extends from the bridge rail support frame 7b toward the work station ST. A part of the work station ST is arranged as a completion station STa for removing a work cloth or the like from a carrier 36 described later and a loading station STb for mounting a new work cloth cut on the carrier 36. , The distribution mechanism 1 at the right end of FIG.
It is provided around the.

The other work station ST is formed by a sewing device such as a sewing machine arranged below the station rail 11. Further, with respect to these work stations ST, the respective work stations ST can be distinguished by the numbers attached after ST such as ST1, ST2, ....

A pair of parallel bridge rails 10 suspended and supported by a plurality of suspension fittings 9 are provided on the supporting frames 7a and 7b between the distribution mechanisms 1. Further, a plurality of horseshoe-shaped station rails 11 for the work stations ST arranged around the distribution mechanism 1 are provided, and the bridge rail 10 and the station rail 11 constitute a transportation rail 8.

Carry-in portions 10a and 11a are formed at one end of the bridge rail 10 and one end of the station rail 11, respectively, and carry-out portions 10b and 11b are formed at one end of the bridge rail 10 and the other end of the station rail 11, respectively. The carry-out parts 10a, 11a, 10b, 11b are arranged around the distribution mechanism 1 at the same height position and at a predetermined angle (45 degrees in this embodiment).

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a rotating body 41 is rotatably supported on the support shaft 4 of the distributing mechanism 1. Then, the loading / unloading parts 10a, 11a, 1
A plurality of (eight in this embodiment) sorting arms 44 are radially projected and fixed at predetermined angles (in this embodiment, 45 degrees) so as to face 0b and 11b.

A servo motor 47 for rotating the arm, which can rotate in the forward and reverse directions, is mounted on the support plate 6. Then, by rotating the servo motor 47 in the forward direction or the reverse direction, the rotating body 41 is rotated, and the sorting arm 44 holding the carrier 36 is rotated to a position facing the predetermined bridge rail 10 or station rail 11. It is configured to be movable.

Further, the endless first chain 20 is provided by a plurality of chain guides 22 provided on each suspension fitting 9,
It is stretched along the bridge rail 10. On the other hand, an endless second chain (not shown) is stretched along the station rail 11 by a plurality of chain guides (not shown) provided on each hanging fitting 9.

When the chain driving motor 26 mounted on the support plate 6 of the distribution mechanism 1 is rotated,
The first chain 20 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3 along the bridge rail 10, and the second chain is rotated in the same direction along the station rail 11 as the rotary shaft 12 rotates.

As a result, the carrier 36 on the bridge rail 10 or the station rail 11 is drawn along the bridge rail 10 or the station rail 11 with the engagement ring 38 engaged with the 120th or the 2nd chain. Three
Transported and moved in the direction of the arrow.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, the carrier 36 is in the form of a hanger so that an article such as a product to be sewn can be suspended. A pair of engaging wheels 38 having a plurality of engaging protrusions on the outer periphery are rotatably supported by the carrier 36 in a state where frictional resistance is imparted, and each rail 10,
A roller (not shown) rolling on 11 is rotatably instructed.

Therefore, the engaging wheel 38 is connected to the first chain 20,
Or, when the bridge rail 1 is engaged with the second chain.
0 or the station rail 11 is conveyed and moved in the direction of the arrow in FIG. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the number reading device 39 is attached to the carrying-in portions 10a and 11a of the carrying-in bridge rail 10 and the station rail 11 by the hanging metal fitting 9. And the carrier 3
When 6 is transported along the bridge rail 10 or the station rail 11 to a position corresponding to the number reading device 39, the movement of the transport body 36 is temporarily stopped by contact with a stopper (not shown), that is, With the compound wheel 38 rotated, the carrier 36 is rotated by the number reading device 39.
The number is read by a code mark (not shown) for identifying a carrier, which is attached to the side surface of the engaging wheel 38. The details of these are described in JP-A-3-612.
No. 11 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-56322, refer to them.

Next, the electric system of this embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG. The respective devices are driven and controlled by the electronic control circuit 60 to carry the carrier 36.
The electronic control circuit 60 includes a well-known CPU, ROM, RA
It is configured with M as the center of the logical operation circuit, and is provided with an input / output circuit for performing input / output with an external device.

The electronic control circuit 60 includes a number reading device 39.
Alternatively, a signal is input from various switch groups 70 such as a closing switch that is operated at the end of work to generate a closing signal. On the other hand, based on these signals and the data in the ROM and RAM, a drive signal for driving the servo motor 47 and the like are output.

Further, one electronic control circuit 60 is provided for each distribution mechanism 1, and the plurality of electronic control circuits 60 are connected to the host computer 100 so that the host computer 100 can control the entire system. It is made to be done. The host computer 100 has a keyboard 111 and a mouse 11 for data input.
3, a display 115 for outputting data, and a printer 117 are respectively connected.

In the memory of the host computer 100, the route table shown in FIG. 6, the loading plan data table shown in FIG. 7, the carrier table shown in FIG. 8, and the station table shown in FIG. 9 are stored. ..
First, the route table shown in FIG. 6 will be described. At each work station ST, various works are carried out on the carrier 36. In this route table, the number of the work station ST to which the carrier 36 is carried in accordance with the order of the work steps carried out on the workpiece. Are sequentially input and stored as the transport path.

Since the work process of the sewn product held by the carrier 36 is different due to the difference in color and design of the sewn product, different route numbers are given to distinguish the transport routes. The number of the work station ST is written in correspondence with each path number. FIG. 6 shows a state in which four types of route numbers are input and stored.

Further, in the input plan data table, an input plan indicating what kind of sewing target product and how much to input is pre-stored and stored. As shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of carriers 36 having the same work content are grouped together, and a loading unit number is given to each of them.

For example, in the case shown in FIG. 7, the design code "A01" corresponds to the input unit number "1".
Color code "10" with a predetermined design of "01"
The carrier 36 holding the sewn product with the color
The plan is to set up 15 bottles. Also, the design code is the same as that of the input unit number "1" in correspondence with the input unit number "2", but the color code is "55".
2 Conveyor 36 holding the sewn products of different colors
A plan to put in 5 is set.

When the carrier 36 holding the workpiece to be sewn exits the loading station STb at the loading station STb, each carrier 3 is moved according to this loading plan.
Corresponding to the carrier number of 6, the path number and the input unit number are written in the carrier table of FIG. Also, each time the work process is completed one by one, the numerical value in the progress column indicating the next process order for the carrier 36 is increased by one for each carrier 36.

Further, in the station table, as shown in FIG. 9, a transportation permission number and a count number, which will be described later, can be written in correspondence with the station number. The initial value of the transport permission number column is "0". Next, regarding the operation of the carrier device of the present embodiment and the carrier control process performed in the host computer 100 described above,
This will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

When the carrier 36 exits each work station ST, the carrier 36 is moved by the number reading device 39 at that time.
The carrier number is read and sent to the host computer 100 via the electronic control circuit 60. First, it is determined whether or not the carrier number is input (step 1).
00, hereinafter simply referred to as S100. The same applies below. ).

When the carrier number is input (S100: YES), the route number and the process order are read based on the carrier number with reference to the carrier table of FIG. 8 (S110). ). Further, based on the read route number and process order, the route table of FIG. 6 is referred to, and the number of the next work station ST is read (S1).
20). For example, in the state shown in FIG. 8, when the read carrier number is “1”, the route number is 4 and the process order is 4 as well.
Therefore, referring to the route table in FIG. 6, it can be seen that the number of the next destination work station ST is ST3.

Next, referring to the station table of FIG. 9, it is judged whether or not the column of the transport permission number of the read station number is "0" (S130). For example,
When the transport body 36 is transported to the work station ST for the first time, the transport permission number remains “0” (S130: YES), and the process proceeds to S140.

At S140, the loading unit number to which the carrier 36 belongs is written in the column of the carrier permission number corresponding to the read station number in the station table. For example, in the case of the carrier 36 having the carrier number "1" described above, as shown in FIG. 9, the input unit number "1" to which the carrier belongs belongs to the column of the carrier permission number corresponding to the station number ST3. Write in.

Next, in the count number column corresponding to the station number, the number of input units having the input unit number to which the carrier 36 belongs is written by referring to the input plan data table of FIG. For example, the carrier 36 with the carrier number “1”
In this case, "15", which is the total number of loadings of the carrier 36 having the loading unit number "1" to which it belongs, is written in the corresponding count number column as shown in FIG. 9 (S15).
0).

Then, an instruction for carrying the paper is sent to the corresponding electronic control circuit 60 (S160). When, for example, the carrier number and the number of the next destination work station ST are sent as the transport instruction, the electronic control circuit 60 controls the corresponding sorting mechanism 1 to transport the carrier 36 to the next destination work station ST. To be done.

When a transportation instruction is sent in S160,
One is subtracted from the count number (S170), and it is determined whether or not the count number after the subtraction is "0" (S180). If the count number is not 0 (S180: YES), the process is ended as it is, and the processes from S100 onward are repeated. On the other hand, if the count number is 0 (S180: YES), the transport permission number column is set to "0" and the state returns to the initial state (S19).
0), and once, the processing of S100 and thereafter is repeated.

If the transport permission number column is not "0" in S130 (S130: NO), it is determined whether or not the transport permission number is the same as the input unit number to which it belongs (S200). .. For example, the above-described S140
In the processing of, the input unit number "1" is the station number S
A case will be considered in which the transport permission number column corresponding to T3 is written and the transport body 36 having the transport body number “2” is subsequently transported.

In this case, since the transportation permission number "1" is the same as the insertion unit number "1" to which the transportation body 36 itself having the transportation body number "2" belongs (S200: YES), S16.
The processing of 0 or less is repeated. In this way, when the carriers 36 belonging to the same input unit number “1” are continuously transferred, the transfer permission number is the same as the own input unit number in S200, and therefore a transfer instruction is issued ( S
160), the count number is decremented by 1 in S170.

Since a total of 15 pieces of the input unit number "1" have been input, all 15 pieces have received the conveyance instruction in S160 and the count number becomes 0 (S180: YES) for the first time. The transport permission number column is set to "0" (S190). On the other hand, if the transport permission number is not the same as the insertion unit number to which it belongs in S200 (S2
00: NO), and an instruction to temporarily hold the transportation is given (S21
0), the process is temporarily terminated. The case of temporarily holding the transportation will be specifically described.

For example, after the above-described series of processing is first performed on the carrier 36 having the carrier number "1", S10 is performed.
Consider the case where the carrier number “3” is input at 0. In this case, the route number is read as 1 and the process order is 3 as read from the carrier table of FIG. 8 (S110), and the number of the next work station ST is read as ST3 from the route table of FIG. 6 (S120). ..

Since the transfer permission number is set to "1" by the series of processes performed on the transfer body 36 having the transfer body number "1", it is not "0" (S130:
No), and then, it is determined whether or not the transportation permission number is the same as the insertion unit number to which the device itself belongs (S200).

Since the loading unit number of the carrier 36 having the carrier number "3" is "2" by referring to the carrier table of FIG. 8, the current carrier permission number is different from "1" (S200). : NO), the process proceeds to S210, and an instruction to temporarily hold the transportation is issued (S210). The number reading device 39 functions as a number reading unit, and the processes of S130 to S150 and the processes of S170 to S190 function as a storage unit. In addition, the execution of the processing of S200 and S210 serves as a holding instruction means.

As described above, in the transporting apparatus of the present invention, when the first transporter 36 in the transporting group having a certain loading unit number is transported, the loading unit number to which it belongs is entered in the transport permission number column of the station table. If written (S140), it is determined whether or not the transport permission number corresponding to the next destination station number of the transport body 36 that is transported later is the same as the insertion unit number to which the transport body 36 belongs. (S200).

Then, the carrier 3 having the same input unit number
6 is instructed to carry (S160), and when the carrying permission number is not the same as the insertion unit number to which the carrier 36 belongs (S200: NO), the carrying is temporarily held (S21).
0). Therefore, the transport bodies 36 having the same input unit number are continuously transported to each work station ST. In addition,
The last carrier 36 in the carrier group with a given input unit number
When a conveyance command is issued to the above, the above-mentioned conveyance permission number is cleared and returned to the initial value of 0, so that it can be newly written thereafter.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the transport bodies 36 having different loading unit numbers from being transported to the work station ST in the wrong order. For example, if the work content of the input unit number “1” is the sewing work with the white thread and the work content of the input unit number “2” is the sewing work with the red thread, the transporter of both the input unit numbers When 36 is conveyed in the wrong order, it becomes necessary to frequently change the white yarn to the red yarn or the red yarn to the white yarn. However, in the present embodiment, for example, the one having the insertion unit number "1" is conveyed after all the ones having the insertion unit number "1" are conveyed. Well, work efficiency is improved.

Further, while the transport body 36 belonging to the input unit number "1" for sewing with white thread is being continuously transported, the transport body 36 belonging to the input unit number "2" for sewing with red thread is carried out. However, the trouble that the worker sew with the white thread without noticing it is less likely to occur.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above.
The present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented in various modes without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0052]

As described above in detail, in the carrying apparatus of the present invention, the first carrier in a carrier group is carried to each work station, and then the last carrier in the carrier group is carried. Until the
A unique group number is stored as a transportation permission number, and while the transportation permission number is stored, a temporary suspension of transportation is instructed to a transportation body having a different group number.

Therefore, even when a plurality of transfer groups are mixed and the transfer control is performed as in the case of multi-product small volume production, the transfer bodies of different transfer groups are transferred to the work station in the wrong order. There is no effect, and working efficiency is improved, and there is an effect that troubles in sewing do not occur.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall schematic layout diagram of a carrying device as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a layout diagram illustrating the layout of a distribution mechanism, a transport rail, and the like of the transport device according to the present exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial front view of the carrying device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a route table according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an input plan data table according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a carrier table according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a station table according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a transport control process of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

ST ... Work station 1 ... Distribution mechanism
8 ... Conveyor rail 36 ... Conveyor 39 ... Number reading device 6
0 ... Electronic control circuit 100 ... Host computer

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location // B65G 47/46 F 8010-3F

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transport mechanism, which is provided with a plurality of work stations along a transport rail for transporting a transport body, and is capable of transporting the transport body to each of the work stations according to a transport sequence for performing work, and a corresponding working station for each work station. And a number reading means for reading a unique carrier number attached to the carrier, and the carrier mechanism for controlling the carrier to transport the carrier preset according to the carrier number. A transport device having transport control means for transporting a work station that has finished work to the next work station in order, wherein each work station comprises the transport body having substantially the same work content at the work station. The first carrier in a given transport group is delivered to that workstation, and then the last carrier in the same group is delivered. Until the transfer is completed, the storage means for storing the group number unique to the transfer group as a transfer permission number, and the group number to which the transfer body which has finished the work at a certain work station does not belong is the work station of the next transfer destination. In the case of being stored as the transfer permission number in the above, the transfer device is provided with a holding instruction means for instructing the transfer control means to temporarily hold the transfer of the transfer body which has finished the work. ..