JPH0687529A - Conveyor equipment using self-traveling truck - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To dispense with a truck positioning means in a stop position and perform positioning by pin fitting always smoothly and surely by providing a movable-liftable pallet bearer with a positioning device and fitting parts. CONSTITUTION:Conveyor equipment is provided with a self-traveling truck 1 travelable on a fixed path being supported-guided by a travel rail 1. This self-traveling truck 10 is provided with a pallet bearer 20 for placing a pallet 48 in such a way as to be liftable as well as movable at least in the travel direction, and a positioning device 40 for impeding the movement of the lifted pallet bearer 20. A first vertical fitting part 50 is further provided between the pallet bearer 20 and the pallet 48. A ground side fixed way 55 that can support the pallet 48 is disposed at the specified place at the side part of the fixed path, and a second vertical fitting part 60 is provided between the ground side fixed way 55 and the pallet 48. The dislocation of a stop position and an error caused by the lowering of forming accuracy of both fitting parts are thereby absorbed by the movement of the pallet bearer 20, so that positioning is performed smoothly.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transportation facility using a self-propelled vehicle that is supported and guided by rails and can travel on a fixed route.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, as a facility of this type, a structure shown in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-65822 has been provided. In this conventional type, a pair of left and right guide rails support a self-propelled carrier via wheels, and a loading platform is provided above the self-propelled carrier. The load carrier is capable of mounting a load supporting base, and in order to prevent displacement when mounting the load supporting base, an elevating guide pin is erected from the load supporting base and an elevating guide hole is formed in the load supporting base.

The load supporting base has rollers on both sides, and an elevating rail portion for supporting and guiding the rollers is provided via an elevating means. In addition, a fixed cradle that can support the load supporting base from below is arranged at the position where the lifting rail portion is arranged, and a positioning pin is erected from the fixed cradle to prevent displacement when supporting the load supporting base. At the same time, a positioning pin hole is formed on the load support base.

According to the above-mentioned conventional type, the self-propelled carriage is capable of traveling by placing the load support table on the load table, and at that time, the lift guide pins are fitted in the lift guide holes to load the load support table. Is prevented from being displaced. Then, the elevating means raises the elevating rail portion, and raises the load supporting base via the rollers, so that the load supporting base receives the traveling force from the self-propelled carriage and is supported and guided by the elevating rail portion to move. To do.

The load carrying table can be placed on the fixed receiving table by stopping the self-propelled carriage at a predetermined position and lowering the elevating rail portion by the elevating means while being positioned by the vehicle positioning means. At that time, the positioning pin fits into the positioning pin hole, so that the load support table can be placed at an accurate position.

[0006]

According to the above-mentioned conventional type, since the carriage positioning means is required at each of the plurality of places on which the load supporting base is mounted on the fixed receiving base, the overall structure and control are complicated. Become. Moreover, when the stop position of the self-propelled carriage is slightly displaced, or when the accuracy of the pin standing position or the pin hole forming position is poor, the positioning pin does not correctly face the positioning pin hole,
Therefore, when the load supporting base is mounted on the fixed receiving base by being lowered, the positioning pin hole and the positioning pin cannot be fitted smoothly. Since the self-propelled carriage is always paired with the load support base by fitting the lifting guide pins into the lifting guide holes, a large number of units are required, for example, in the loop-shaped traveling path (work line). And the economy becomes poor.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the need for a carriage positioning means at the stop position,
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a transfer facility for use with a self-propelled vehicle that can perform positioning reliably and smoothly by pin fitting, and can reduce the number of self-propelled vehicles used with respect to the number of pallets.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a transportation facility using a self-propelled vehicle of the present invention is provided with a self-propelled vehicle which is supported and guided by a traveling rail and is capable of traveling on a fixed route.
This self-propelled vehicle is provided with a pallet pedestal for pallet mounting so as to be movable and at least vertically movable in the traveling direction, and is provided with a positioning device for preventing movement of the pallet pedestal raised. And a first fitting portion in the up-down direction is provided between the ground fixing base and the pallet, and a ground fixing base that can support the pallet is arranged at a predetermined position on the side of the fixed path. A second fitting portion in the up-down direction is provided between and.

[0009]

According to the structure of the present invention, the self-propelled vehicle on the traveling rail travels on a fixed route. During this traveling, the pallet supporting the workpiece and the like is placed on the pallet pedestal, and the placement posture is maintained without displacement due to the fitting of the first fitting portion. Further, since the pallet cradle is raised with respect to the main body of the self-propelled vehicle, and the positioning device functions to position the pallet cradle, the pallet pedestal does not shift in the traveling direction with respect to the main body of the self-propelled vehicle.

Then, the self-propelled vehicle enters a predetermined position and is stopped so as to face the intended ground-side fixed base. Next, when the pallet cradle is lowered, the positioning by the positioning device is released along with the lowering, and the pallet cradle becomes movable in the traveling direction. Therefore, the fitting of the second fitting part is
The pallet cradle can be moved smoothly relative to the pallet while moving in the running direction. While performing such fitting, the pallet is placed on the ground-side fixed base. Then, in a state where the first fitting portion is disengaged, the self-propelled vehicle travels on a fixed route while leaving a pallet or the like.

Various operations are performed on the work piece supported by the pedestal on the ground side through a pallet. The work that has completed the desired work is received by the self-propelled vehicle together with the pallet by the action opposite to the above, and is forwarded to the next place or is transported to the wholesale place and taken out of the fixed route.

[0012]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Reference numeral 1 denotes a pair of left and right traveling rails, which are fixed on a base frame 4 from a floor 3 via holding members 2 and the like. A cover 5 having a gate-shaped cross section is provided above the both traveling rails 1 from both sides to the base frame 4 side via a support bracket 6 located between the two traveling rails 1. It is fixed. A power supply device 7 is laterally arranged on the side surface of the support bracket 6.

Reference numeral 10 is a self-propelled vehicle, and L-shaped leg members 12 are continuously provided symmetrically from the lower four places of a main body 11 thereof, and wheels 13 attached to these leg members 12 are the rails of the traveling rail 1. Supported on the upper surface. Further, a plurality of floating prevention rollers 14 facing the lower surface of the traveling rail 1 are attached to the leg member 12, and at least one of the leg members 12 is provided with a plurality of abuttable side surfaces of the traveling rail 1. A guide roller 15 is attached.

A traveling drive unit 16 is provided on one leg member 12.
Is provided, and the drive wheel 18 is attached to the output shaft 17 facing downward. The drive wheel 18 is configured by a roller type that abuts on the inner surface of the traveling rail 1 or a pinion type that meshes with a rack provided on the inner surface of the traveling rail 1.
Further, a current collector 19 slidably in contact with the power supply device 7 is provided on the traveling drive device 16 side, whereby the self-propelled vehicle 10 is supported and guided by the traveling rail 1 and can travel on the fixed route 9. .

On the main body 11 of the self-propelled vehicle 10, a pallet receiving table 20 for placing a pallet is provided so as to be movable in a traveling direction A and a lateral direction B and to be vertically movable. That is, the pallet cradle 20 is in the shape of a rectangular plate, and the bottom surface of the four corners has slide parts such as slide bearings and LM guides.
A slide plate 22 is provided via 21 so as to be relatively movable in a traveling direction A and a lateral direction B. A rod 23 is vertically installed from each slide plate 22.
Cylindrical bodies 24 in which 23 are fitted so as to be able to move up and down are erected from the four corners on the main body 11, respectively, and springs 25 for urging the slide plate 22 upward are provided with these slide plates 22 and the main body 11.
It is provided between and.

An elevating device 26 for elevating and lowering the pallet cradle 20 includes a speed reducer 28 arranged in the center of the upper surface of the main body 11 and linked to an elevating motor 27, and right and left parts projecting laterally from the speed reducer 28. Pinion 30 fixed to a pair of output shafts 29
A pair of left and right rod bodies 33 that are movably supported by a support member 31 from the main body 11 and that form a rack portion 32 with which the pinion 30 meshes, and cam bodies 34 fixed to both ends of these rod bodies 33. , The slide plate to come into contact with the cam surface (slope) formed on the upper surface of the cam body 34 from above.
22 and a cam roller 36 attached to a bracket 35.

Between the pallet pedestal 20 and the main body 11, a front / rear positioning device 40 for preventing movement of the raised pallet pedestal 20 in the traveling direction A, and a left / right positioning device 41 for preventing movement in the lateral direction B. And are provided. These positioning devices 40 and 41 have the same configuration, and are arranged so that they are respectively placed on the left and right so as to be diagonal positions, and their directionality is displaced by 90 degrees.

That is, each positioning device 40, 41 is composed of the main body 11
Has a guide body 42 erected from above, and this guide body 42 has a narrow straight guide portion 43 formed in the up and down direction by a pair of members, and from the middle portion to the lower portion, A wide inclined guide portion 44 is formed. Then, the positioning roller 45 which is closely fitted to the straight guide portion 43.
Is the roller support 46 that is hung from the pallet receiving base 20.
It is supported so that it can rotate freely.

A first fitting portion 50 in the vertical direction is provided between the pallet receiving base 20 and the pallet 48. The first fitting portion 50 includes a first pin 51 standing upright from two lateral positions in the front and rear of the pallet receiving base 20 and the first pin 51.
First hole 52 formed in the pallet 48 in the vertical direction so that
Composed of and. The pin and the hole may be reversed, or the taper fitting may be performed. 49 indicates a work piece.

The fixed path 9 is formed in the shape of an oval loop, and for example, one straight line portion (predetermined portion) is formed on the work path portion 9a.
Is formed. Then, in the work path portion 9a, the pallet
Ground-side fixed bases 55 capable of supporting 48 are provided at a plurality of positions at predetermined pitches. These ground-side fixed bases 55 are work route parts.
A receiving member 57, which is arranged on both sides of 9a and whose upper surface is a mounting surface 56, is provided on the upper side thereof. Here, the mounting surface 56 is set to be higher than the first pin 51 at the lower limit.

A vertical second fitting portion 60 is provided between the ground-side fixed base 55 and the pallet 48. This second fitting part
The reference numeral 60 designates second pins 61 which are respectively erected from the left and right ground-side fixed bases 55 at the front and rear, and second vertical holes 62 which are formed at the four corners of the pallet 48 so that the second pins 61 can be fitted. Composed of and. The pin and the hole may be reversed, or the taper fitting may be performed.

Next, the carrying and processing operations in the above embodiment will be described. The self-propelled vehicle 10 placed on the traveling rail 1 via each wheel 13 operates the traveling drive device 16 according to a traveling instruction and forcibly rotates the driving wheel body 18 to move on the fixed route 9 at a predetermined speed. Be driven. Self-propelled vehicle 10 at that time
The floating prevention roller 14 is guided to the traveling rail 1 to prevent the lifting, and the guide roller 15 is guided to prevent the lateral deviation.

In such a running state, the work piece 49
The pallet 48 supporting the pallet is placed on the pallet receiving base 20, and the first fitting portion including the first pin 51 and the first hole 52.
Since 50 is in the fitted state, its mounting posture is maintained without displacement. Then, the elevating device 26 is operated, and the rotation of the pinion 30 moves the rod body 33 to one side via the rack portion 32, thereby pushing up the slide plate 22 via the cam body 34 and the cam roller 36,
As a result, the pallet cradle 20 can be raised with respect to the main body 11 as shown by the phantom line B in FIG.

Further, the positioning rollers 45 of both positioning devices 40 and 41 ascend together with the pallet receiving base 20 via the roller support 46, and these positioning rollers 45 are inclined guide portions.
The linear guide portion 43 is entered from 44, and as shown by an imaginary line B in FIG. 1, the linear guide portion 43 is tightly fitted in the linear guide portion 43.
Therefore, the self-propelled vehicle 10 can travel without the pallet cradle 20 being displaced with respect to the main body 11 in the traveling direction A and the lateral direction B.

Then, the self-propelled vehicle 10 enters the work path portion 9a and is stopped so as to face the intended ground side fixed base 55. Next, the lifting / lowering device 26 is reversely operated to lower the pallet pedestal 20 with respect to the main body 11. Then, as it descends, the positioning rollers 45 of both the positioning devices 40 and 41 enter from the straight guide portion 43 to the inclined guide portion 44 as shown in FIG. The restraint of the main body 11 in the traveling direction A and the lateral direction B is released, and the main body 11 can move in both directions A and B.

Therefore, the fitting of the second fitting portion 60, that is, the fitting of the second pin 61 and the second hole 62, allows the pallet holder 20 to be moved in both directions A relative to the pallet 48 by allowing the slide portion 21 to slide. Smoothly and smoothly while moving to B. While performing such fitting, the pallet 48 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, it is mounted on the mounting surface 56 of the receiving member 57, and the shock generated during the mounting can be buffered by the spring 25. Then, in a state in which the first pin 51 is pulled out downward from the first hole 52 in the first fitting portion 50, the vehicle 10 travels on the fixed route 9 while leaving the pallet 48 and the like.

Various works such as welding are performed on the workpiece 49 supported on the ground-side fixed base 55 via the pallet 48. The workpiece 49 that has completed the desired work in this way is forwarded by the self-propelled vehicle 10 together with the pallet 48 to the next fixed base 55 on the ground side, or transported to the wholesale place and taken out of the fixed route 9. Be done. At that time, the pallet 48 of the ground-side fixed base 55 is moved by the opposite action to the above-described action by the self-propelled vehicle 10.
Received by.

In the above embodiment, the loop-shaped one-way route is shown as the constant route 9, but the constant route 9 may be a linear reciprocating route. In the above embodiment, the traveling direction A
Although the front-rear positioning device 40 for restraining and the left-right positioning device 41 for restraining the lateral direction B are provided, the left-right positioning device 41 may be omitted only with the front-rear positioning device 40.

[0029]

According to the above-described structure of the present invention, means for positioning the stopped self-propelled vehicle is not required at the position of each upper fixing base, and the overall structure and control can be simplified. Further, when the stop position of the self-propelled vehicle is deviated, or when the fitting precision of both fitting parts is poor, the error can be absorbed by moving the pallet cradle with respect to the main body of the self-propelled vehicle. Therefore, the positioning by fitting the second fitting portion can always be performed smoothly and reliably.

Since the self-propelled vehicle can be separated from the pallet, the self-propelled vehicle with respect to the number of pallets can be used even if a large number of ground-side fixed stands are arranged on a loop-shaped fixed path (work line). A small number of units can be used, and the entire facility can be made economical.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part of a transportation facility using a self-propelled vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a transfer facility using the same self-propelled vehicle.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a main part of the transfer facility using the self-propelled vehicle.

FIG. 4 is an overall schematic plan view of the transportation facility using the self-propelled vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Traveling rail 5 Cover 7 Power supply device 9 Fixed path 9a Work path part 10 Self-propelled vehicle 11 Main body 13 Wheels 16 Travel drive device 19 Current collector 20 Pallet cradle 21 Slide part 22 Slide plate 23 Rod 24 Cylindrical body 25 Spring 26 Lifting Moving device 33 Rod body 34 Cam body 36 Cam roller 40 Front-rear positioning device 41 Left-right positioning device 43 Straight guide part 44 Inclined guide part 45 Positioning roller 48 Pallet 49 Workpiece 50 First fitting part 51 First pin 52 First Hole 55 Ground-side fixed base 56 Mounting surface 60 Second fitting portion 61 Second pin 62 Second hole A Traveling direction B Lateral direction

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim: What is claimed is: 1. A self-propelled vehicle supported by a traveling rail and capable of traveling on a fixed route is provided, and a pallet cradle for placing a pallet on the self-propelled vehicle is movable at least in the traveling direction and can be raised and lowered. And a positioning device for preventing the lifted pallet cradle from moving, and a first fitting portion in the up-down direction is provided between the pallet cradle and the pallet, and a predetermined portion is provided at a side portion of the fixed path. Is provided with a ground-side fixed base that can support the pallet, and a vertical second fitting portion is provided between the ground-side fixed base and the pallet. Transport equipment.