JPH0573648B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a conveying device used for conveying headed parts such as screws and rivets in an aligned state.

[Conventional technology]

Various conveying devices are used to transport headed components such as twists, rivets, etc. to desired locations. Examples of devices for conveying headed parts in a predetermined posture include those disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 55-174983 (Conventional Example 1), Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 55-113906 (Conventional Example 2),
Alternatively, as shown in JP-A-55-70702 (Conventional Example 3) and JP-A-55-70704 (Conventional Example 4), the head of the transported object (headed part) is supported. There is known a device that transports an object in a suspended state by hooking it onto a groove or notch in the body.

In other words, in the case of Conventional Examples 1 and 2, a large number of notches are provided on the outer periphery of the disk, and by rotating the disk with the head of the object to be transported hooked to the notches, the object is transported. The conveyed object is sent in the circumferential direction of the disk.

On the other hand, in the case of Conventional Example 3 and Conventional Example 4, a pair of parallel members is provided, and by hooking the head of the object to be transported on the upper surface side of the parallel member, the object to be transported is moved in the longitudinal direction of the parallel member. People are starting to send things.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As in Conventional Examples 1 and 2 described above, in devices in which a plurality of notches are provided on the outermost surface of a rotating disk, in order to correctly insert an object into the notches, the rotating disk is A non-rotating guide plate is required at a position facing the outer peripheral surface. However, when such a structure is adopted, the object to be transported may be caught in the gap between the disk and the guide plate when the object is inserted into the notch. If an object to be transported gets caught in a part of the device, it not only damages the object but also causes problems such as the device stopping.

On the other hand, in devices such as Conventional Example 3 and Conventional Example 4, in which the conveyed object is conveyed while sliding on the upper surface of the parallel material, the downstream side of the conveyance of the parallel material is inclined so that it is lower, or by using vibration. The object to be transported must be moved toward the downstream side. For this reason, it is very difficult to control the conveyed objects so that they are completely separated one by one and moved at a constant speed, and there is also the problem that the conveyance speed is slow.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a conveyance device having the following configuration. The object to be transported by the apparatus of the present invention is a headed component that includes a shaft and a head having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the shaft.

The conveyance device of the present invention has a ring-shaped inner table that is rotatably driven in a fixed direction and arranged in a nearly horizontal position, and a ring-shaped inner table that has an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the inner table. An outer table that is arranged on the outer peripheral side of the inner table and whose inner peripheral part contacts or is close to the outer peripheral part of the inner table, and the rotational peripheral speed of the inner peripheral part of this outer table is the rotational peripheral speed of the outer peripheral part of the inner table. and a drive means for rotating the outer table in the same direction as the inner table at a rotation speed that matches the rotation speed.

On the upper surface side of the inner table, a plurality of grooves along the radial direction are provided radially at equal pitches, and the width of the grooves is wider than the outer diameter of the shaft of the headed part. The diameter of the head is narrower than the outer diameter of the inner table, and the headed component is transported in the direction of rotation of the inner table with the head facing upward and the shaft hanging down within the groove.

Further, the outer table is provided to be inclined vertically with respect to the inner table, and on the upper surface side of the outer table, there is a first conveying surface located near the outer periphery thereof, and a first conveying surface located near the outer periphery of the outer table.
A second conveying surface is located on the inner circumferential side of the outer table and slopes downward toward the center. A plurality of continuous radial grooves are provided radially across the surface and the second conveying surface at equal pitches, and the width of the grooves is approximately equal to the width of the groove of the inner table, and The first conveyance is carried out while the headed component, which is provided at a pitch corresponding to the groove of the table, is transferred in the direction of rotation of the outer table with the head facing upward and the shaft hanging down in the groove. The headed component moved from the surface to the second conveyance surface is delivered to the groove of the inner table while maintaining the above posture.

[Effect]

In the conveyance device configured as described above, the headed component as the object to be conveyed is supplied onto the first conveyance surface of the outer table through a chute or the like. Then, by entering the groove of the outer table, the shaft part moves in the circumferential direction as the outer table rotates while being supported by the first conveyance surface in a so-called hanging posture with the head facing upward. .
Since the outer table is inclined, as the outer table rotates, the conveyed object gradually slides from the first conveyance surface toward the second conveyance surface, and finally reaches the innermost periphery of the outer table. Move up to. Further, as the outer table rotates, the object to be transported is transported to a connecting portion of the inner table, that is, a position where the inner circumferential portion of the outer table and the outer circumferential portion of the inner table are in contact with or close to each other.

Since the outer periphery of the inner table and the inner periphery of the outer table rotate at circumferential speeds that are related to each other, the conveyed object that was on the inner periphery of the outer table is released by air at the connection part with the inner table. Insertion of the grooves of the inner table with the aid of suitable means for promoting the transition, such as blowing. The object transferred to the inner table in this manner is transported to a desired position (for example, an inspection section) as the inner table rotates.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 schematically shows a screw inspection device 1. As shown in FIG. This screw inspection device 1 includes a vibrating parts feeder 2 that accommodates a large number of screws A to be inspected, and a head sorter for sorting the outer diameter of the head A ₁ of the screw A on the exit side of the parts feeder 2. It is equipped with mechanism 3.

The head sorting mechanism 3 has two parts arranged parallel to each other.
It is equipped with rotating bodies 4 and 5 of books. A gap is provided between these rotating bodies 4 and 5, which is wide enough to allow the shaft portion _A2 of the screw A to be inserted therethrough. Rotating body 4,
5, the downstream side of the conveyance is lower than the upstream side of the conveyance. The upper surfaces of the rotors 4 and 5 are driven to rotate relative to each other while the screw A is conveyed downstream. A passed product ejecting section 6 is provided in the longitudinally intermediate portion of the rotors 4 and 5, and the outer diameter of the rotors 4 and 5 is reduced.

The screw A, which moves downward while sliding on the rotating bodies 4 and 5, falls from the accepted product discharge section 6 to the chute 7 if the outer diameter of its head _A1 is a predetermined size. Screws whose outer diameter of head _A1 is less than the specified size are
After falling onto the chute 8 in front of the accepted product discharge section 6, it enters the rejected product collection box 9. A chute 10 is also provided at the end of the rotating bodies 4 and 5. head
A screw with a predetermined outer diameter of _A1 has a ring-shaped body 4,
5 falls onto the chute 10 and enters the rejected product collection box 11.

Then, on the conveyance end side of chute 7 for accepted products,
A transport device 15 according to the invention is provided. This conveyance device 15 includes an inner table 16 and an outer table 17. These tables 16, 17 are made of metal. However, it may be made of synthetic resin.

The inner table 16 is ring-shaped and has a third
As shown in the figure, it is fixed to the upper surface of a cylindrical rotating body 18 so as to be in a substantially horizontal position. However, this inner table 16 may be inclined to some extent as long as the angle is such that the screw A supported on the upper surface thereof does not slip off. The rotating body 18 is rotatably supported by a cylindrical support body 20 via a bearing 19. Support 2
Driving means 22 (only a portion of which is shown) is provided on the side of 0 for continuously rotating the rotating body 18 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2 at a constant rotational speed. The driving means 22 of this embodiment is a toothed belt 2
3 and sprocket 24, the rotating body 18 and inner table 16 are rotated. The rotational speed of the inner table 16 is set so that the screw A does not fly out due to centrifugal force.

As shown in FIG. 4, the inner table 1
A large number of grooves 26 along the radial direction are provided radially at equal pitches on the upper surface side of the groove 6. Groove 26
The width W ₁ is wider than the outer diameter of the screw shaft A ₂ , but
The dimensions are narrower than the outer diameter of the head _A1 . Groove 2
The depth of 6 is sufficiently deeper than the entire length of screw A.

On the other hand, the outer table 17 also has a ring shape, but its inner diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the inner table 16. The outer table 17 is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the inner table 16, and is in contact with or close to the outer peripheral portion of the inner table 16 on the inner peripheral surface of the outer table 17. This part is called a connection part 27 between the inner table 16 and the outer table 17.

The outer table 17 is vertically inclined with respect to the inner table 16 so that the connecting portion 27 is the lowest. This inclination angle is not limited to a specific value, but as illustrated in FIG.
is set at an angle such that the connecting portion 27 is approximately horizontal, for example, approximately 30° to 45°.

On the upper surface of the outer table 17, a first conveying surface 30 located closer to the outer periphery and a second conveying surface 3 located closer to the inner periphery than the first conveying surface 30 are provided.
1 is provided. The second conveyance surface 31 is inclined to become lower toward the center of the outer table 17. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, on the upper surface side of the outer table 17, a large number of grooves 33 along the radial direction are provided radially at equal pitches. This groove 33 is formed on the first conveyance surface 3
0 to the second conveyance surface 31.

Like the groove ₂₆ of the inner table 16, the width W2 of the groove 33 is wider than the outer diameter of the shaft portion _A2 of the screw, but narrower than the outer diameter of the head _A1 . Moreover, this groove 3
3 are provided at a pitch corresponding to the groove 26 of the inner table 16. The depth of the groove 33 is the same as that of the screw A.
The depth is sufficiently deeper than the total length of the As shown in FIG. 7 or 9, the first conveying surface 3
0 is provided with an upwardly convex, pointed mountain-like portion 34 located between each groove 33, and the shaft portion _A2 of the screw A resting on this mountain-like portion 34 is inserted into the groove 33. It's easy to get into.

The outer table 17 is rotated by a drive means 36. This driving means 36 includes a ring-shaped rotating body 37 located below the outer table 17, and the outer table 17 is attached to this rotating body 37. This rotating body 37
is a ring-shaped support 3 via a bearing 38
The rotating body is freely supported by 9. This rotating body 3
7 is continuously rotated in the same direction as the inner table 16 (clockwise in FIG. 2) by a motor and sprocket (not shown) via a toothed belt 40 (only a portion of which is shown).

The rotational speed of the outer table 17 is such that the peripheral speed of its inner peripheral surface matches the peripheral speed of the outer peripheral surface of the inner table 16. Moreover, the connection part 2 between the inner table 16 and the outer table 17
7, the two differences 26 and 33 are synchronized so that they match each other.

Outer table 1 tilted as described above
An outer guide plate 42 is provided on the lower side of the outer table 17 at a position facing the outer peripheral surface of the outer table 17 . This guide plate 42 is the outer table 17
It is curved in an arc shape along the outer peripheral surface of the support body 39, and is fixed to the support body 39 side by a frame (not shown). The outer guide plate 42 is provided with a discharge port 43 near the lowest position. This outlet 4
3 is provided with a chute 44. A box 45 is provided at the outlet of the chute 44 for collecting the discharged screws.

An inner guide plate 48 is provided on the higher side of the inclined outer table 17 at a position facing the inner peripheral surface of the outer table 17. This guide plate 48 is curved in an arc shape along the inner peripheral surface of the outer table 17, and is fixed to the support body 39 side by a frame (not shown). A discharge port 49 is provided at a longitudinally intermediate portion of the inner guide plate 48 . This discharge port 49 has a chute 5.
0 is set. Further, an air nozzle 51 is provided behind the discharge port 49.

As shown in FIG. 1 or 2, a baffle plate 53 is arranged at a position facing the outlet of the chute 7. This baffle plate 53 is connected to the inner guide plate 48
installed on. An air nozzle 54 is provided opposite the baffle plate 53. Further, an air nozzle 55 is also provided near the connecting portion 27 between the inner table 16 and the outer table 17. This air nozzle 55
Air is ejected toward screw A on top of screw A. A stopper 56 is arranged on the inner table 16 at a position facing the air nozzle 55. This stopper 56 has one screw A.
The movement of the head A ₁ of the screw is restricted so that the head A ₁ of the screw can be moved by one screw so that the books can be transferred from the outer table 17 to the inner table 16 one by one.

Further, an alignment guide 58 is located on the rotational direction side of the inner table 16 than the screw A connection portion 27.
(See Figure 2) are arranged. The alignment guide 58 has an arcuate inner surface that slides into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the inner table 16 . Further, an air nozzle 59 is provided opposite the alignment guide 58. Each of the air nozzles 51, 54, 5 mentioned above
5 and 59 are connected to a compressed air supply source via a solenoid valve (not shown). In addition, the alignment guide 58
A chute 60 for collecting screws that have fallen from between the inner table 16 and the outer table 17 is provided below the front side in the conveyance direction.

An inspection section 62 is provided in the middle of the inner table 16 in the circumferential direction. This inspection section 62 includes a light projector 63.
The light emitted from the is illuminated. The projector 63 is arranged inside the inner table 16 and directs the inspection beam along the groove 26 to the inner table 16.
Send it to the outer circumference side. A camera 64 is provided on the outer circumferential side of the inner table 16 to receive the beam. This camera 64 is a one-dimensional line sensor (not shown) for measuring the contour of the screw A.
Built-in. The camera 64 is connected to an arithmetic processing device 65 using a microgon computer or the like. This arithmetic processing unit 65 receives various data related to the screw A detected by the camera 64, and
Processing is performed according to a preprogrammed processing procedure, and comparison is made with preliminarily input reference data to determine whether screw A passes or fails.

A discharge section 67 is provided on the conveyance downstream side of the inspection section 62 . The discharge section 67 includes an air nozzle 68 that blows air toward the screw A' when the screw A' is determined to be rejected by the inspection section 62 and is brought to a predetermined position. The screw A is provided with an air nozzle 69 that blows air toward the screw A when the screw A is brought to a predetermined position. These air nozzles 68,
69 is also connected to a compressed air supply via a solenoid valve (not shown). An appropriate collecting means 71 such as a chute or a box for collecting rejected products is provided below the position facing the air nozzle 68 for rejected products. Below the position facing the air nozzle 69 for accepted items, an appropriate collection means 72 is provided in a chute, box, or the like for collecting accepted items.

Next, the operation of the screw inspection device 1 having the screw A configuration will be explained.

A large number of screws A stored in the parts feeder 2 are fed between the rotating bodies 4 and 5 of the head sorting mechanism 3, and are sent toward the accepted product discharge section 6 while sliding on the rotating bodies 4 and 5. Those whose outer diameter of the head A ₁ is smaller than a predetermined value fall onto the chute 8 before the accepted product discharge section 6 . The heads A ₁ having an outer diameter larger than a predetermined value are carried to the ends of the rotating bodies 4 and 5 and fall onto the chute 10 . In this way, only screws A having a predetermined head diameter fall onto the chute 7 for acceptable products. The screw A sent to the chute 7 is transferred to the first conveying surface 3 of the outer table 17.
0.

Air is constantly jetted from the air nozzle 54 toward the baffle plate 53. The air blown onto the baffle plate 53 attempts to climb over the baffle plate 53, causing turbulence near the first conveyance surface 30. Therefore, the screw A that has fallen from the chute 7 onto the first conveying surface 30 exhibits a dancing behavior, and the shaft portion A ₂ finally fits into the groove 33 . That is, as shown in FIG. 9, the shaft portion _A2 enters into the groove 33,
The head _A1 is in a posture caught on the upper wall of the groove 33.

Since the outer table 17 is continuously rotated in the clockwise direction in the figure, the first conveying surface 3
The screw A held at 0 is the outer table 17
is carried in the clockwise direction as shown in the figure. Screws that do not fit into the grooves 33 are rolled out from the outlet 43 located at a lower position and are removed from the chute 44.
It falls on top.

Since the outer table 17 is inclined so that the connection portion 27 side is lower, as the outer table 17 rotates, the position of the first conveying surface 30 on which the screw A is mounted gradually rises. Therefore, the screw A, while being fitted in the groove 33, gradually slides toward the second conveyance surface 31, and finally moves to the inner guide plate 48 and stops. Since the air nozzle 51 constantly blows air toward the discharge port 49, the movement from the first conveyance surface 30 to the second conveyance surface 31 is promoted, and the groove 3
The screw A that is not held in the air nozzle 5
With the help of air blowing out from 1, the exhaust port 49
will be reliably discharged from the

When the screw A held on the second conveyance surface 31 as described above is conveyed to the connection part 27 between the inner table 16 and the outer table 17, it is moved by the force of the air jetted from the air nozzle 55. It enters into the groove 26 of the inner table 17. This connecting portion 27 is provided with a stopper 56 that allows movement of only one screw, so that one screw A is inserted into each groove 26 as shown in FIG.
The books are inserted one by one.

Inner table 16 at the connection part 27
The screws A that cannot be transferred to the side remain on the outer table 17, but since a large number of screws A can be stored on the outer table 17, there is a storage function (buffer effect) for the screws A. Note that when transferring from one groove 33 to the other groove 26, the grooves 26 and 33 are not only aligned perfectly with each other (tangential lines on the cutting wheel), but also the combination of the grooves 26 and 33 before and after that. The screw A can also be moved during mating.

The screw A transferred to the inner table 16 in this manner is carried in the clockwise direction in the figure as the inner table 16 rotates. inner table 1
The screws that cannot be properly transferred to the chute 60 fall from the gap between the inner table 16 and the outer table 17 onto the chute 60.

When the screw A on the inner table 16 reaches the position of the alignment guide 58, the ring part is moved by the force of the air constantly blown from the air nozzle 59.
A ₁ is pressed against the inner surface of the alignment guide 58 . Therefore, the screw A is suspended near the outer edge of the inner table 16, and is transported to the inspection section 62 while maintaining this posture. In the inspection section 62, a beam for inspection sent out from a light projector 63 is received by a camera 64. Therefore, the outline of the screw A is detected by the camera 64, and the data is sent to the arithmetic processing unit 65.
The arithmetic processing unit 65 is input with reference data corresponding to the inspection items in advance, and this reference data is compared with the measurement data of the screw A, and the arithmetic processing unit 65 determines whether the product is an acceptable product or a rejected product. It is judged accordingly. As an inspection item, for example, shaft part A ₂
Length and outer diameter, presence or absence of threads, number of threads, shaft part
This includes the shape of the tip of _A2 .

Screws determined to be rejected by the inspection department 62
When A' is brought to a position directly facing the air nozzle 68, it is dropped into the rejecting product collection means 71 by the air instantaneously blown out from the air nozzle 68. On the other hand, the screw A determined to be an acceptable product is transported to a position directly facing the air nozzle 69 and is dropped into the recovery means 72 by the air instantaneously jetted from the air nozzle 69. In order to adjust the air jet timing of the air nozzles 68 and 69, the inner table 16
The rotation angle of the groove 26 and the position of the groove 26 are constantly detected by an encoder or optical sensor (not shown).
The position of the screw A inspected by the inspection unit 62 is tracked regardless of whether it passes or fails.

As described above, according to the conveying device 15 of this embodiment, the screws A randomly supplied onto the outer table 17 via the chute 7 are transferred to the inner table 16 as the outer table 17 rotates.
It can be smoothly inserted into the groove 26 while maintaining the predetermined shape. Then, it can be reliably transported to the inspection section 62. Moreover, inner table 1
6 are sent to the inspection section 62 in a state where they are completely separated from each other at precise pitches according to the spacing of the grooves 26.
Since the measurement can be carried out reliably and the position of the screw A can be easily recognized, the screw A can be correctly discharged after the measurement.

Furthermore, in the inspection section 62, since the beam from the projector 63 is sent out in the longitudinal direction of the groove 26, there is no member other than the screw A that blocks the beam. Therefore, the entire length of the shaft portion A ₂ of the screw A suspended in the groove 26 from the bottom of the neck to the tip can be completely inspected.

Note that the conveyance device of the present invention is not limited to screws, and can similarly convey any headed component having a shaft portion and a head portion having a larger outer diameter than the shaft portion.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, it is not only possible to continuously transport the objects to be transported at a predetermined speed to the target position while keeping the objects aligned with their heads facing up, but also it is possible to increase the transport speed considerably. It is. Also,
A large number of screws can be stored in line on the outer table, providing a buffering effect. Furthermore, the conveyed object does not get caught in a part of the apparatus or the posture of the conveyed object collapses during the conveyance, and extremely smooth and efficient conveyance can be achieved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a screw inspection device, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the conveyance device in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the conveyance device, and FIG.
The figure is a plan view of a portion of the inner table, FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V in FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a plan view of a portion of the outer table, and FIG. 7 is a plan view of a portion of the outer table. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the connection between the inner table and the outer table;
FIG. 9 is an enlarged front view of a part of the outer table. A...Screw (headed part), 1...Screw inspection device, 15...Transport device, 16...Inner table, 17...Outer table, 22...Driving means, 26...Groove, 30...No. 1 conveyance surface, 31...
...Second conveyance surface, 33...Groove, 36...Driving means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An inner table having a ring shape and being rotated in a fixed direction and arranged in a nearly horizontal position; and a ring shape having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the inner table. An outer table that is arranged on the outer peripheral side of the inner table and whose inner peripheral part contacts or is close to the outer peripheral part of the inner table, and the rotational peripheral speed of the inner peripheral part of this outer table is the rotational peripheral speed of the outer peripheral part of the inner table. A conveying device for headed parts, comprising: a drive means for rotating an outer table in the same direction as the inner table at a rotational speed that matches the rotation speed, the inner table having a radial direction along the upper surface side of the inner table; A plurality of grooves are provided radially at equal pitches, and the width of the grooves is wider than the outer diameter of the shaft of the headed part, but narrower than the outer diameter of the head. The attached part is transferred in the direction of rotation of the inner table with its head facing up and its shaft hanging down in the groove, and the outer table is tilted vertically with respect to the inner table. At the same time, on the upper surface side of this outer table, there is a first conveying surface located closer to the outer periphery of the outer table, and a first conveying surface located closer to the inner periphery than this first conveying surface and descending toward the center side. A second conveying surface is provided on the upper surface of the outer table, and a plurality of continuous grooves are provided on the upper surface side of the outer table so that the first conveying surface and the second conveying surface are continuous with each other. The grooves are provided radially at equal pitches, and the width of the grooves is approximately equal to the width of the grooves in the inner table, and the grooves are provided at a pitch corresponding to the grooves in the inner table. The headed component, which has been transferred from the first conveyance surface to the second conveyance surface while being transferred in the rotational direction of the outer table with the shaft part hanging upward in the groove, is transferred to the above while maintaining the above posture. A device for conveying headed parts, which is characterized in that it is delivered to a groove in an inner table.